Press Releases

Results from state testing for the 2020-21 school year released today are an indicator of the formidable challenges that students and educators across North Carolina faced during one of the most severe disruptions to public education the state and nation have ever confronted.

The start of any new school year is always cause for excitement, optimism and a celebration of all that is possible. This year brings even greater hopes for bright, new beginnings and the promise of a fresh start for students, teachers and school leaders across North Carolina.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt released the following statement in response to updates made to the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit.

Public schools and community organizations serving as North Carolina Summer Nutrition Program sponsors and meal sites are bringing the farm to summer nutrition programs this year.

Superintendent Truitt Response to ABC Collaborative Report on NC K-12 Success in Preventing COVID-19 Transmission

The Wells Fargo NC Principal of the Year program has expanded to include the Office of Charter Schools at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

More than 900,000 North Carolina students rely on the nutritious meals and snacks served during the school year through the School Breakfast, School Lunch, and Afterschool Meals Programs.

Three North Carolina high school seniors were named U.S. Presidential Scholars today.

Three North Carolina high school seniors were named U.S. Presidential Scholars today.

As we kick off Teacher Appreciation Week, TeachNC, an initiative focused on the recruitment of teachers in North Carolina and partner of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, celebrates its recently-launched public service announcement (PSA)

The U.S. Department of Education today released the names of the 2021 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools, District Sustainability Awardees, and Postsecondary Sustainability Awardees. Four North Carolina honorees are among a host of schools and districts nationwide named today as U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools for their efforts to reduce environmental impact, improve health and wellness and ensure effective sustainability education.

Four high school teams competed in the state’s first-ever virtual North Carolina Jr. Chef cook-off this month to create unique school lunch entrée recipes. 

Eugenia Floyd, a fourth-grade teacher at Mary Scroggs Elementary School in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district, was named the 2021 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year during an awards luncheon today at the Umstead Hotel in Cary. Floyd was selected from a field of nine finalists representing the state’s eight education districts and charter schools.

The below statements of support were issued by state and local education leaders in response to Senate Bill 387, the Excellent Public Schools Act, which Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law Friday afternoon.

North Carolina has long been home to a large population of active duty, guard, reserve and veteran armed service members. In recognition of the state’s rich military-history, the Department of Public Instruction is pleased to recognize hundreds of schools as part of its Purple Star Award Designation initiative which first launched in the 2019-20 school year.

The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards recently announced that North Carolina continues to lead the nation with teachers who hold national board certification, with 467 teachers earning this certification in 2019-20.

When schools across North Carolina sent children home a year ago Sunday due to COVID-19, educators were uncertain what lay ahead. They had no roadmap, no past experience and no preparation for a pandemic. But within days, they began finding new, if unfamiliar, ways to help students they could no longer see in person. They improvised by creating new methods for teaching and engaging students. Support staff hustled to organize meals and delivery strategies to keep students fed. School leaders went to extraordinary lengths so that students could continue learning and growing. 

Today State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt, Gov. Roy Cooper, Senate leader Phil Berger, House Speaker Tim Moore, Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue and House Democratic Leader Robert Reives made a joint announcement on legislation to reopen schools across the state.

Eight outstanding public school principals have been selected as regional Wells Fargo North Carolina Principals of the Year and will now compete for the state title of 2021 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The winner will succeed the 2020 recipient, Kisha Clemons, principal of Shuford Elementary School (Newton-Conover City Schools).

Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt joins employers, educators, and state leaders in recognizing March 2021 as Students@Work℠ Month.