Project LIFT: Year One Report

Research for Action (RFA) is currently in the second year of a five-year external evaluation of the Project Leadership and Investment for Transformation (LIFT) Initiative in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District (CMS). Project LIFT is a public-private partnership between CMS and the local philanthropic and business communities in Charlotte, designed to turnaround nine schools in the West Charlotte Corridor. Starting in the 2012-13 school year, Project LIFT operates as a semi-autonomous Zone within CMS, providing the initiative with CMS infrastructural support and access to an initial $55 Million investment of private resources to drive a multifaceted reform effort in Charlotte’s highest poverty schools. Project LIFT’s long-term goals are to significantly improve student achievement in the following ways: 1) 90% of students will achieve proficiency in math and English across the zone; 2) 90% of students will meet annual growth goals in math and English; and, 3) 90% of WCHS students will graduate on time.