In 2011, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS)—one of the largest school districts in the state of North Carolina—developed and implemented the Graduation Success Initiative (GSI). It began as a student-centered districtwide approach to assess each senior’s status in meeting graduation requirements. While maintaining the student-centered focus, the GSI has evolved into an integrated and systematic tool—used by many stakeholders—that promotes graduation integrity and success. The result for CMS has been a significant increase in graduation rates. This presentation will include a brief overview of CMS, the superintendent’s vision, the first year’s creation and implementation of the GSI, the current process, and outcomes.
Viewers of this Solutions program will learn about:
- The challenges of a large urban school district as it pertains to graduation success
- Why there was a need for a systematic approach
- Lessons learned from the first year of implementation
- The current process
- Outcomes and successes as a result of the GSI
Resources:
Extended Version of Program Powerpoint
Graduation checklist: used by counselors in concert with the GSI; the graduation checklist is an assessment of the student’s progress in meeting graduation requirements at a specific time. 
GSI template: fluid monitoring tool
