In the mass of data released Monday as part of the North Carolina School Report Cards are a few key data points that help explain the success of Polk County Schools.

Perhaps most important among the numbers is the section entitled financial support, detailing spending per pupil.

The average school district in North Carolina spends $2,172.86 per student in local funds and $5,718.43 per student in state funds. Polk County Schools spends $3,386.93 per student in local funds and $7,299.00 per student in state funds.

That 35 percent increase above the state average, representing almost an additional $3,000 per student, manifests itself in smaller class sizes, increased teacher stability and excellence and a number of other factors, including the district’s achievement on state examinations, according to Polk County Schools Superintendent Aaron Greene.

“We use our state and local money wisely for programs,” Greene said. “We seek out opportunities for state funding, and we do a good job blending those funds and using those funds for programs applied directly to students.

“We’re blessed to have strong support from our county commissioners for our schools, which is reflected in that local funding. We also work to apply as much of that funding as possible toward teachers and students rather than administrative needs.”

The higher level of funding helps Polk County Schools employ enough teachers to keep average class sizes low. At each grade level from kindergarten to eighth grade, local class sizes are below the state average, including an average third-grade size of 13 as compared to the state average of 19.

Those funds, as well as the district’s student-first approach, have also helped Polk County Schools develop a more qualified group of teachers than the average district. At the elementary level, 46 percent of Polk County teachers have an advanced degree, compared to a state average of 28 percent, with 43 percent of middle school teachers (vs. 26 percent state average) and 30 percent of high school teachers (compared to a state average of 24 percent) possessing at least a master’s degree.

Polk County Schools also employs more experienced teachers than the average district, with 61 percent of its elementary teachers, 67 percent of its middle school teachers and 69 percent of its high school teachers owning 10 or more years of experience in the classroom. That compares to state averages of 50 percent (elementary), 51 percent (middle school) and 53 percent (high school).

The same trend holds true for district principals, with 33 percent holding advanced degrees and 33 percent owning 10 or more years of experience compared to state averages of 22 percent and 14 percent.

“We have a very stable teaching force, and they’ve been doing it longer and doing it very well,” Greene said.

The district has also used its strong state and local funding to expand access to technology for students. Polk County Schools now has 1.26 students per Internet-connected device though no one-to-one initiative is in place.

“Our students have access to computers and other devices throughout the school day,” said David Scherping, Polk County Schools director of accountability and technology. “Ready access is always available, and that holds true no matter where you go in most schools.”

Complete state report cards for Polk County Schools as well as each school in the district can be found online at dpi.state.nc.us/src/.

– article submitted by PolkStudents.com