Fifteen North Carolina middle schools have been selected to participate in the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative, a five-year, $25 million program made possible by funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation. The initiative aims to improve school performance through innovative educational strategies with a focus on mathematics and career development. Golden LEAF Schools is supported by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), in partnership with the Golden LEAF Foundation and Marzano Resources.
“The Golden LEAF Schools Initiative is a powerful first step toward our goal of ensuring that North Carolina’s public schools are the best in the nation,” said North Carolina State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “By investing in middle school math instruction – especially in our rural and economically challenged communities – we are building a foundation that prepares every student for college, careers and lifelong community engagement.”
The selected schools are divided into two cohorts: the Transformative Schools Cohort (TS) and the Personalized, Competency-Based Education Cohort (PCBE). The initiative emphasizes collaboration within each cohort, aiming to foster long-term educational improvements and workforce development across the state.
The TS Cohort will receive comprehensive support focused on improving schools through implementation of the Marzano High Reliability Schools (HRS) Framework and the Open Up Resources Problem-Based Math Curriculum. Schools included in this cohort are:
- Bertie Middle School, Bertie County Schools
- Carver Middle School, Scotland County Schools
- Contentnea-Savannah K-8 School, Lenoir County Public Schools
- East Alexander Middle School, Alexander County Schools
- East Rutherford Middle School, Rutherford County Schools
- Harnett Central Middle School, Harnett County Schools
- Northern Middle School, Person County Schools
- Union Middle School, Sampson County Schools
- Warren County Middle School, Warren County Schools
- West Lee Middle School, Lee County Schools
The PCBE Cohort focuses on instructional transformation and assists schools with demonstrated readiness to begin a shift towards Competency-Based Education (CBE). Schools included in this cohort are:
- Dunn Middle School, Harnett County Schools
- Hayesville Middle School, Clay County Schools
- Swain County Middle School, Swain County Schools
- SanLee Middle School, Lee County Schools
- Waynesville Middle School, Haywood County Schools
The selected schools went through a rigorous application and evaluation process, including an interview with key stakeholders such as the district superintendent, school principal and district office curriculum and instruction leaders.
“Golden LEAF is proud to fund this bold, collborative effort to improve student outcomes and build a stronger future for our state,” said Scott T. Hamilton, president and CEO of the Golden LEAF Foundation. “By investing in middle schools through research-based strategies and intensive support, we are not only strengthening academic achievement in critical areas like math but laying the groundwork for career readiness and long-term economic vitality in North Carolina’s rural communities.”
The Golden LEAF Schools initiative is built on the research-based Marzano HRS model. At the core of this innovation model is the HRS framework which is designed to help schools create a safe environment for both students and staff; improve operational efficiency; provide high-quality instruction aligned with clear learning goals; use ongoing assessments to meet student’s individual needs and foster a culture of growth, collaboration and innovation.
This model provides participating schools with intensive coaching, resources and support, allowing the selected schools to enhance their students’ learning experiences, build school professionals’ capacity and continuously improve their educational environments. Additionally, participating schools will receive math resources and coaching, career readiness resources and funding for travel, stipends and bonuses.
About the Golden LEAF Foundation
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. For more than 25 years, Golden LEAF has worked to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.