By Mary Ann Wolf It has been nearly 30 years since the beginning of North Carolina’s school funding case known as Leandro, which was filed by plaintiffs in five poor school districts who gave voice to the fact that their children couldn’t get the education they deserved. Since that time, it has been repeatedly found […]
The Final Word: Supporting Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools
By Mary Ann Wolf and Elizabeth DeKonty As we continue our focus on the whole child and student mental health, it is important for us to consider how a child’s experiences affect their brain and their behavior. When I think back to teaching two decades ago, the research about Adverse Childhood Experiences had not yet […]
The Final Word: Messages from North Carolina’s Regional Teachers of the Year
Each week on Education Matters, we offer a “Final Word,” from our host, Dr. Mary Ann Wolf, offering commentary on the state of our public schools. This week, as we collectively face another very challenging time in our schools, in our communities, and across our nation, we want to lift up the voices of some […]
The Final Word: Public Schools Offer More Choices than Ever Before for Families Across North Carolina
By Dr. Mary Ann Wolf Did you know that North Carolina is a leader in global education? Our global commitments represent a unique statewide initiative that was adopted by the Partnership for 21st Century Learning as a national framework for investing in the support and vision necessary to prepare our students for a global workplace. […]
The Final Word: Investing in Public Education Helps Us All
By Dr. Mary Ann Wolf North Carolina’s system of public education plays an incredibly important role in our lives every day. If you benefited from public schools, have children in public schools, believe that public schools are critical for our democracy, and want our children to graduate prepared for college or career, then the effectiveness […]
The Final Word: The Importance of Afterschool Programming
In 2020, the Afterschool Alliance released the 4th edition of the America After 3pm Report. In the report, North Carolina ranked #6 overall nationally for providing opportunities for children to participate in quality, affordable programs during out-of-school time hours before school, afterschool and in the summer. Out-of-school time programs statewide help children learn, grow, and […]
The Final Word: Historic Investments in our Public Schools are Needed Now
By Mary Ann Wolf You may wonder why Leandro is important for your family or community or our state? If we want to have a thriving economy that attracts businesses, a workforce that is prepared for the many jobs and vacancies, and opportunities to keep our graduates in rural communities across the state, we must […]
The Final Word: Why should Leandro be important to you?
by Mary Ann Wolf Our superintendents lead schools with a deep understanding of what our kids need to be successful in school and in life beyond the classroom. On Education Matters this week, we heard from three superintendents who shared what they know to be critical elements that North Carolina must provide in our schools […]
The Final Word: Investing in North Carolina’s public school students, our communities, and our economy
by Mary Ann Wolf Twenty-seven years ago, some of North Carolina’s most poverty stricken school districts came together to do something about the educational conditions of their children. Together with plaintiff families, they initiated a lawsuit against the state of North Carolina, asserting that the state wasn’t doing enough to ensure all children were able […]
The Final Word: Attracting and encouraging NC’s best and brightest to become educators
by Mary Ann Wolf As I listened to North Carolina’s phenomenal Regional Teachers of the Year during today’s episode of Education Matters, I was reminded yet again that our state has work to do to ensure that the teaching profession is well-supported and attractive to our best and brightest educators and leaders. As the daughter […]