Mecklenburg Superintendent

2014 - 11 Sharmel Watts, $156,818 Area Superintendent for Learning Communities

Community Superintendent
Raw Link: http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/search?q=watts
Association with Project LIFT
Raw links:
http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/LearningCommunities/Pages/ProjectLIFTSuperintendent.aspx

http://www.charlottemagazine.com/Charlotte-Magazine/April-2013/Denise-Watts-Project-LIFT-and-Charlottes-Big-
Test/?cparticle=2&siarticle=1

About Project LIFT
Project L.I.F.T. short for Project Leadership & Investment for Transformation. Project LIFT is about transforming traditionally poor
performing schools into 21st Century ready. Project LIFT is composed of 9 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (Allenbrook
Elementary School, Ashley Park PreK-8th, Bruns Academy, Druid Hills Academy, Ranson IB School, Statesville Rd. Elementary
School, Thomasbore Academy, Walter G Byers School, W. Charlotte High School. *Ranson is a Middle School.

Project LIFT appears to be a P3 operating as a non-profit.
Related article: School Project Blurs Line Between Public, Private EdWeek
Mentions both Sharmel Watts and Senate Appointee Ann Clark.
Raw Link: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/01/09/17projectlift.h32.html?tkn=LLUF8GqipAUVRrde6REACI8ffuanE5MfLX1i&cmp=SOC-
EDIT-FB

WBTV, Channel 3 reported in March of 2013 that Project LIFT received more than $55 million from the Charlotte community.
Interesting note: When the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Investment Study Group created Project LIFT, Peter Gorman was the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Superintendent & Anthony Foxx was Mayor. Read more: http://www.fftc.org/ProjectLift

Project LIFT information in relation to being part of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools:

1) One of the area's largest employers.

2) Received 2009 Stimulus money, as did the NC DPI.
- Title One: $24 million
- IDEA PreK: $1.2 million
- IDEA VI-B: $30 million

Funds were disbursed from March 2009 through Spring 2010.
See: http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/ARRA/Documents/ARRA%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions%20-%20CMS.pdf
From the Overview document: http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/ARRA/Documents/ARRA%20Overview%20Document%20-%20CMS.pdf

3) $28, 631, 494 was set aside for the express purpose of establishing or maintaining 21st Century Community Learning Centers in the
2013-14 school year.
Sharmel Denise Watts
House Appointee

Mecklenburg
Superintendent
Mecklenburg County

DEMOCRAT

Project LIFT has Teach For America ties. Teach for America is a proponent of Common
Core and has received Gates Foundation grant money and funds from the NC General
Assembly.
Raw Link: http://www.projectliftcharlotte.org/tfa-partnership

Project LIFT and COMMON CORE:
Raw Link: http://www.projectliftcharlotte.org/blog/intersessions-connect-arts-common-core-and-fun-photos

Laptops with Common Core loaded on them 1 per kid.
Raw Link: http://blog.laptop.org/tag/common-core/#.VAGpv_ldW3J

Annual Report for Project LIFT prepared by Research for Action (RFA).
Raw Link: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_KAbeAWPiQfMnBpNTZJazhvQ1U/edit

RFA is a Gates grant recipient.
Raw link: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database#q/k=Research%20for%20Action%20Inc

Project LIFT accepts donation through Foundation For the Carolinas.
Raw Link:https://www.fftc.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=2508

Foundation for the Carolinas is also a Gates grant recipient.
Raw Link: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/How-We-Work/Quick-Links/Grants-Database/Grants/2010/10/OPP1003972

NEWS
Project LIFT Charlotte Observer Your Schools Blog (6/2014):
Raw Link: http://obsyourschools.blogspot.com/2014/06/opportunity-culture-still-evolving-in.html
Excerpt:
Opportunity Culture A favorite with Governor McCrory and which is partly Gates funded in the past:
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supported the development of many of the material and resources found on this website.

Who Funds Opportunity Culture:
Raw Link: http://opportunityculture.org/our-initiative/our-funders/
More: http://opportunityculture.org/our-initiative/

"In fall 2011, Public Impact announced the launch of the implementation phase of our Opportunity Culture initiative, with $1.2
million in funding from The Joyce Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation."
In this initiative, Public Impact is:

Publishing and disseminating school models that schools can use to tailor reach extension designs of their own. Identifying major sites
committed to implementing reach extension and building an Opportunity Culture. Tapping the expertise of an Opportunity Culture
Advisory Team featuring national leaders in teaching, technology, and finance. Infusing the national education reform discussion with
the concepts of extending the reach of excellent teachers and building an Opportunity Culture for Americas teachers.


Opportunity Culture is Partnered with CMS and LIFT.
Raw Link: http://opportunityculture.org/our-initiative/participating-sites/cms-project-lift/



Black Political Caucus Award Recipient (2010).
Raw Link: http://www.bpc-charlotte.org/2010_banquetawards.html

Promotion from Principal of Bishop Spaugh Community Academy to Superintendent of
Central Secondary Zone (2011)
Raw Link: http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/boe/0910%20School%20Board%20Meetings%20and%20Schedules/Minutes-06-22-2010.pdf

Charlotte Area News Blogpost on 2011 promotion.
Raw Link:http://www.charlotteareanews.com/wp/2010/06/23/school-board-approves-personnel-appointments/

Sharmel Denise Watts was appointed area superintendent for the Central-Secondary Zone. Watts is currently principal of Bishop
Spaugh Community Academy. She began her career in education as a teacher in Winston-Salem, then came to CMS as a teacher at
Alexander Graham Middle School. She has also served as a principal intern at McClintock Middle and assistant principal and
principal at Mint Hill Middle.

Charlotte Observer Your Schools Blog on pay bump with Superintendent promotion:
Raw Link: http://obsyourschools.blogspot.com/2011/04/cms-payroll-update.html
Ann Doss Helms said...
By my tally, 75 of the 85 earning $100,000 plus had no change in salary. Of the rest, two were new to CMS, two took pay
cuts because they left higher-paying interim jobs and six made more than last year.

Of the six whose annual pay rose, four got promotions (Denise/Sharmel Watts got the biggest bump, going up by just over
$40,000 a year when she moved from Spaugh principal to area superintendent). One went from part-time to full-time and
one spent part of the year in a higher-paying interim job. APRI L 2 6 , 201 1 AT 2 : 2 7 PM