The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and State Board of Education (SBE) launched "Achieving Educational Excellence," a comprehensive strategic plan that sets an ambitious goal: making North Carolina's public schools the best in the nation by 2030. The plan, unanimously approved by the SBE at the August board meeting, marks the first joint strategic initiative between NCDPI and the board in more than ten years.
Today, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green welcomed state dignitaries, members of the public and the media to two events held at Wake County public schools to celebrate the launch of the strategic plan. Green will host regional events throughout the fall for people to learn more about the plan and how to be involved.
The strategic plan, developed through extensive statewide engagement including Superintendent Green's "Mo Wants to Know" listening tour, establishes eight pillars for transformation with specific, measurable goals and timelines for implementation. The plan addresses critical areas including educator compensation, student achievement, mental health support, infrastructure modernization and community engagement.
"This is a bold plan that matches North Carolina's potential to have the best public schools in the country,” said Green. "We created this strategic plan after crossing the state listening to parents, students and educators about their hopes and dreams for education. Now, with the State Board of Education's unanimous approval, I’m eager to get to work with educators, families, partners and students to make North Carolina’s public schools the best in the nation.”
Key initiatives include:
- A $25 million Golden LEAF Foundation investment to transform mathematics instruction in rural middle schools
- NC College Connect, guaranteeing college admission for students with a 2.8 GPA or higher
- Expanded mental health support and Youth Mental Health First Aid training
- A statewide campaign to read 10 million books annually
- Development of an endowment to provide two years of tuition-free postsecondary education
The plan establishes clear benchmarks for success, including achieving a 92% graduation rate, increasing average ACT scores to 20 and leading the nation in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores by 2030. North Carolina will track progress through quarterly public reports and an Excellence Report Card.
“We will achieve educational excellence — not because it’s easy, but because it is hard,” said Chairman of the North Carolina SBE Eric Davis. " We do our best when we do hard things together, and our students deserve nothing less. And with your help, we will make that promise a reality. Now let’s go to work."
Governor Josh Stein expressed strong support for the initiative and called for our collective effort to implement the plan.
"North Carolina public schools open doors of opportunity for 1.5 million students,” said Stein. “This strategic plan sets a bold and ambitious vision for our schools to be the very best in the nation. It builds upon our successes and reimagines a system where every kid is prepared for success. It will take all of us to work together to deliver on our state’s and our students’ potential.
The strategic plan's eight pillars include:
- Prepare Each Student for Their Next Phase in Life
- Revere Public School Educators
- Enhance Parent, Caregiver and Community Support
- Ensure Healthy, Safe and Secure Learning Environments
- Optimize Operational Excellence
- Lead Transformative Change
- Celebrate the Excellence in Public Education
- Galvanize Champions to Fully Invest in and Support Public Education
The plan was developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, including eight regional listening sessions, more than 30 stakeholder meetings, dozens of school visits and input from thousands of educators, students, parents, business leaders and community members across all 100 North Carolina counties.
To ensure accountability and successful implementation, NCDPI will establish an Office of Strategic Planning to oversee execution and a Strategic Plan Monitoring and Accountability Committee to track progress. The plan will be reviewed annually and adjusted based on data and outcomes.
NCDPI supports the education of approximately 1.5 million students in 2,683 public schools, representing 84% of school-aged children in the state. The state leads the nation with nearly 25,000 National Board Certified Teachers and has been recognized for innovations including having one of the top early college programs in the country.
The full strategic plan, "Achieving Educational Excellence: 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for North Carolina Public Schools," is available at go.ncdpi.gov/bestinnation. Community members are encouraged to sign up as Public School Champions and participate in upcoming regional forums.
About the North Carolina State Board of Education
The North Carolina State Board of Education, established by the state Constitution, sets policy and general procedures for public school systems across the state, including teacher pay and qualifications, course content, testing requirements and manages state education funds.