Final Word

In rural communities, like the many we have here in North Carolina, local public schools are often community hubs, serving as places of learning as well as connection and growth. […]

Fifty years ago, the first iteration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was signed into law, transforming the American education system by guaranteeing that students with disabilities have the […]

January marked the beginning of the 2025 long session for the North Carolina General Assembly. As this session begins, we are at a critical point for public education in our […]

Last month over 100 educators were celebrated at the annual Bright Ideas luncheon. The Bright Ideas program was started by the North Carolina Electric Cooperatives 30 years ago with each […]

Earlier this month Americans selected the next set of leaders who will make the decisions that shape the coming years for our communities, our state, and our country. In North […]

A little over a month after Tropical Storm Helene devastated much of Western North Carolina, the region’s resilient communities have begun to rebuild, but there’s still a long road ahead. […]

Local public schools are more than a collection of classrooms and hallways lined with lockers. Our public schools provide a space for connection, bringing people together through sports, arts, and […]

Election season offers us a great opportunity. The opportunity to weigh in on and decide a direction for our country, state, and local communities. If we hope to see our […]

This year, my youngest child, Andrew, graduated from high school. And, yes, I am feeling all of the pride and all of the empty nest fears that go with that. […]

Last month we celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers were given messages, tokens of appreciation, honors and celebrations to express the sometimes unspoken gratitude those impacted by their work feel. For […]

As in many other states, state-level elected officials in North Carolina play a crucial role in shaping policies that affect communities at large, particularly when it comes to public education. […]

We are so pleased today to have our final word brought to you by our North Carolina Wells Fargo Principles of the Year from 2021, 2022 and 2023. Our Principals […]

It is once again an election year and the primaries are happening in North Carolina right now. While many people may view election season as just a time of exacerbated […]

My mom was a Kindergarten teacher, a reading teacher, and a director of Pre-K for a large school district. I not only had the benefit of growing up in a […]

The Public School Forum’s Roadmap of Need was first published in 2010 by the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs  to inform policymakers, funders and citizens of needed investments on […]

With the passing of the 2023-24 state budget, North Carolina became the tenth state to offer taxpayer-funded universal school vouchers to attend private schools. Despite the fact that the funds […]

Together we can achieve so much more. The Color of Education Summit brings together educators, policymakers, researchers, students, parents, community members, and other key stakeholders focused on achieving racial equity […]

Children are spending an average of 80% of their days outside of school, and the way that they spend this time has crucial implications, both for their achievement in the […]

As I’ve said many times, teachers are the number-one school-related factor influencing student outcomes. Teachers have the immense responsibility of preparing our children to be educated and well-equipped community members. […]

For this week’s Final Word we are so pleased to hear from our Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year and Superintendent of the Year about what gives them […]

Students across North Carolina are back in school. Over 1.4 million students in our public schools approached the school year ready to learn, and our educators met those students with […]

Starting with the class of 2024, students in NC must successfully complete an economics and personal finance course for graduation. This course includes budgeting, saving, investing, and managing debt. These […]

Teachers are the number one school-related factor affecting student outcomes. Knowing this, it should go without saying that teachers are vital to our public education system. Unfortunately, like in many […]

There are few days that go by that I don’t have a moment of appreciation for the beauty around us in NC. The trees, the hiking trails, the flowers… It’s […]