At Rowan-Salisbury Schools, we’ve been ranked top 10, nationally, for pioneering uses of technology in our schools. We’ve won Discovery Education’s Innovation in Education Award, the National Digital Curriculum Strategy Award and the National Digital Content & Curriculum Achievement Awards as well. In 2019, our students earned more than $33 million in scholarships. Education Dive named us one of the Six Districts to Watch in 2020. The list goes on.

One reason for our success is that teachers and leaders are committed to incorporating innovative teaching strategies into our schools—and our state leadership took notice.

This history of high-quality education—and pushing for more local control—is how Rowan-Salisbury Schools’ former superintendent, Dr. Lynn Moody, ended up in a room with a North Carolina state senator and representative in spring of 2018 asking for charter-like flexibility.

Dr. Moody shared about her experiences as a coach, teacher and superintendent. She was able to show state politicians what Rowan-Salisbury teachers and students have already achieved (in a district with a 63 percent poverty rate), while explaining how much higher the school system can soar with the right flexibility and resources. She outlined her strategic plan for the district, explained how charter-like flexibility would benefit our schools and asked for their help making it happen.

The legislators were inspired by her data and experience-backed vision for Rowan-Salisbury. They introduced legislation, which then passed in less than a month. North Carolina’s Renewal district was born!