Press Releases

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RALEIGH – Nine North Carolina educators have been named regional Teachers of the Year in recognition of their outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching.
Five North Carolina teachers were honored last month as recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest award K-12 teachers can receive for instruction in those two subjects by the federal government.
North Carolina public school units reported decreases in school violence and high school dropouts in the 2023-24 academic year, according to the annual Consolidated Data Report presented today to the State Board of Education.
Five teams of high school students from across the state will cultivate culinary creativity in the 2025 North Carolina Jr. Chef Competition this spring. Based on applications and recipes submitted, teams from Ashe County High (Ashe County Schools), Garinger High (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools), Martin County High (Martin County Schools), Northern High (Durham Public Schools) and Thomasville High (Thomasville City Schools) will compete as finalists in the statewide cook-off.
Nine principals across North Carolina have been selected as North Carolina Regional Principal of the Year finalists. On May 16, one will be named the 2025 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year at a ceremony hosted at The Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is seeking schools and fiscally responsible community organizations to serve as sponsors for Summer Nutrition Programs in 2025 to help ensure children who have limited access to food at home get the educational enrichment and nutritious meals they need for optimal growth, development and overall well-being.
Data released today by the U.S. Department of Education shows that North Carolina students are ahead of the nation in eighth grade math and tracking with their peers in other tested subjects.
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green announced the final hire to his executive leadership team today. Dr. Stacey Wilson-Norman will serve as the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) Chief Academic Officer.
Continuing to build a team focused on achieving educational excellence, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green named three additions to his executive leadership team today: Mark Dessauer, Dr. Derrick Jordan and Dr. Michael Maher. Maher and Jordan will assume their new roles at NCDPI on January 20, and Dessauer will begin his role on February 10.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction unveiled a $25 million initiative today, funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, aimed at improving school performance through innovative educational strategies. The announcement was made during the State Board of Education meeting, and the board will hold its vote on two contracts and a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support the work of the grant on Thursday.
State Superintendent Mo Green announced two new hires for the Government Affairs team at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) today. Geoff Coltrane will serve as the Senior Director of Government Affairs and Strategy and Elizabeth Yelverton will serve as legislative liaison. Both will also support the State Board of Education’s legislative efforts.
Maurice “Mo” Green was sworn in as North Carolina’s new Superintendent of Public Instruction today at the Meredith Leigh Haynes-Bennie Lee Inman Education Center in Jamestown.
In the midst of the 2024 holiday season, a Charlotte educator has another special reason to celebrate. Vanessa Smith, a first grade teacher at Croft Community School, was named a national Milken Educator Award winner on Wednesday, receiving a $25,000 prize. Smith is North Carolina’s 57th recipient of the Milken Award since the honor began in 1987.
As the science of reading reaches full implementation in North Carolina, new data presented to the State Board of Education today shows that K-3 students are making significant progress in being on track and narrowing the racial achievement gap when it comes to literacy.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has been awarded a nearly $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to pilot the Skills for the Future (SFF) project in North Carolina.
A total of $800,000 in grants has been awarded to 18 North Carolina school districts to help develop student skills in computer science through coding.
Seven school districts will share more than $360 million in new state lottery-funded grant awards for school construction, renovation projects and other capital improvements. Among the projects funded by the grants are plans to consolidate schools into one campus, increasing access to career and technical education and modernizing facilities for students, faculty and the surrounding community.
In the 2024-25 school year, 212 schools across North Carolina are participating in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Every North Carolina school that applied was selected and approved by the State Board of Education to participate.
North Carolina high school students in 2023-24 participated and performed in college-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses at record-setting levels – reaching the highest participation and final scores in the 10-year partnership between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and the College Board, which administers the AP program and exams.
Five North Carolina public schools and one private school were named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2024 by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. The schools are among 356 schools nationwide recognized this year for their overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps.