What is the “Wake Framework”?

The Wake Framework
An Outcomes-Based Governance Framework for Wake County Public Schools

Wake County Public Schools has identified many of the right strategic priorities. Rather than replacing existing strategic planning, the framework builds upon it by requiring significant new investments to identify intended outcomes, evidence supporting the investment, measures of success, public reporting, and periodic evaluation.

Public trust in school funding increases when every significant new investment is connected to measurable improvements in student outcomes. The Wake Framework is designed to improve governance, transparency, and continuous improvement—not to reduce investment in public education.

The Wake Principles

Students First: Every budget decision should ultimately improve opportunities for students.

Evidence Before Expansion: Expand programs that demonstrate measurable success.

Transparency Builds Trust: Publish understandable school-level performance information.

Continuous Improvement: Review major initiatives regularly and improve them based on evidence.

Local Flexibility, Shared Accountability: Schools retain flexibility while the Board holds itself accountable for agreed-upon outcomes.

Core Student Outcome Indicators

• K–3 Reading Progress

• 5th Grade Mathematics Readiness

• 8th Grade Algebra Readiness

• Chronic Absenteeism

• Teacher Recruitment and Retention

• High-Impact Tutoring Participation and Student Growth

The Wake Framework Governance Cycle

Budget → Implementation → Measurement → Public Reporting → Evaluation → Continuous Improvement → Next Budget

Five Governance Reforms

• Adopt an annual Outcomes-Based Budget Resolution.

• Require an Outcomes Statement for every significant discretionary funding request.

• Publish an annual districtwide and school-level Student Outcomes Dashboard.

• Conduct formal three-year reviews of major discretionary investments.

• Require evidence before expanding successful programs districtwide.

The Wake Test

• Which students benefit?

• What evidence supports the investment?

• How will success be measured?

• How will results be reported publicly?

• Is the investment sustainable?

• What will happen if expected outcomes are not achieved?

Implementation Roadmap

Year 1: Adopt the framework and pilot outcomes statements.
Year 2: Publish the first public dashboard.
Year 3: Complete first program reviews.
Years 4–5: Expand evidence-based practices and refine measures.

Conclusion

The Wake Framework proposes that budgeting become an instrument of educational governance by aligning discretionary investments with measurable student outcomes, transparent reporting, and continuous improvement.