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.
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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.
North Carolina students continue to see gains in most grades and subjects, according to the 2023-24 state test results presented to the State Board of Education today. Schools also showed progress on accountability measures.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction today announced the 2024-2025 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy for free and reduced-price meals for children enrolled in North Carolina’s schools.