October 2011

Dear Parents:

We are pleased to make available to you the Durham Public Schools Report Card for the 2010-2011 school year. You will find that our students are engaged in learning and have teachers who are committed to helping all students realize their potential.

The annual North Carolina School Report Card offers one way for parents to learn more about our school district. It contains information about student performance, class size, attendance, school safety, instructional resources and teacher quality in our schools. The district report card and reports for all schools in the state are online at www.ncreportcards.org.

The 2010-2011 school year saw a number of successes. Eighty-eight percent of elementary and middle schools met either expected growth or high growth. The district’s graduation rate is now 74%, an increase of 4% from 2009-10. In addition, more middle school students demonstrated proficiency in Algebra, bringing the total rate to 92%, a 6% increase from 2009-10. Additionally, 26 schools recorded gains in the overall percentage of students passing the tests, including 15 elementary, five middle and six high schools. Nine schools saw a gain of more than five percentage points.

Individual school report cards are provided to give you a snapshot of how your child's school compares to others in the district and the state. We use this and other data to track progress on specific areas of importance.

Like your child's report card, these documents, which include testing and other numbers, tell only part of the story. Enrollment shifts, program changes and other factors may affect a school's performance. To learn more about our schools, please visit and check out school websites at www.dpsnc.net.

We appreciate your interest in Durham Public Schools.

Sincerely,
Eric J. Becoats, Ed.D.
Superintendent