Charlotte Observer Ann Doss Helms has the details:

At the board retreat and in a June meeting with principals, Wilcox says he thinks CMS has swung too far toward freedom.

He noted that third-grade reading proficiency, targeted by North Carolina’s General Assembly as a key skill that needs improvement, has remained flat despite a barrage of efforts. While 2018 scores haven’t been released, Wilcox has said it will be another disappointing year for third-grade reading. That demands real change, he said.

“We are going to have to become a little more directive,” Wilcox said.

I do not know what this means, exactly.  The practical implications of more “central control” may be invisible to most.  But it sends the wrong message to dissatisfied parents and elected officials.