The Opportunity Scholarships program in its current or expanded form represents significant investment of taxpayer dollars to support private and parochial schools. Similar to public schools and public charter schools, […]
2022 Education Policy Primer
The Public School Forum of North Carolina has released the 2022 North Carolina Education Primer, which serves as a fact-based guide to public education in North Carolina. The Primer provides […]
Pathways to Excellence for Teaching Professionals Focus Group Results
The State Board of Education, the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC), and the NC Department of Public Instruction have been developing a draft new teacher licensure system, Pathways to […]
The Final Word: Principals and the Support They Provide
By Mary Ann Wolf I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds and hundreds of principals over the years, and I am often reminded about the very unique – […]
The Final Word: Beginning Teachers
Do you know a high school or college student who wants to be a teacher? Do you know others in your community who are thinking about changing careers to become […]
The Final Word: Words of Wisdom From Dr. Dudley Flood
For our 200th episode of Education Matters, we were so fortunate to be joined by Dr. Dudley Flood, who is a legendary education hero who was instrumental in desegregating North […]
The Final Word: North Carolina Has Waited Too Long for Every Child to Have Access to a Sound Basic Education
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 […]
Public School Forum of NC Releases Progress Report on Top Education Issues 2021-22
RALEIGH, N.C. (February 17, 2022) — The Public School Forum of North Carolina released its Progress Report on the Top Education Issues 2021-22 today during its eighth annual Eggs & […]
National Afterschool Association Honors Sheneika Simmons Among Its 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders
WASHINGTON, D.C. February 9, 2022 – The National AfterSchool Association (NAA), the voice of the afterschool profession and lead organization for the advancement of afterschool professionals and leaders has selected […]
Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith Named Senior Director of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity at the Public School Forum of NC
RALEIGH, N.C. (February 7, 2022) — Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith, a long-time educator and advocate for educational equity, has been named Senior Director of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
North Carolina State Budget Analysis 2021-23
The North Carolina General Assembly released a 2021-23 state budget conference report on November 15, 2021. The budget agreement, which is nearly four months past its July 1 deadline, was […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Supporting North Carolina’s Public Schools: From COVID Relief to COVID Recovery
Thanks to quick actions on the part of federal, state and local leaders, North Carolina’s public schools have been able to develop incredible innovations to meet the needs of children […]
Public School Forum Releases Top Education Issues for 2021
RALEIGH, NC (January 28, 2021) – The Public School Forum of North Carolina released its Top Education Issues for 2021 today during its seventh annual Eggs & Issues event. This […]
Study Group XVII
North Carolina is second only to Texas in total population living in rural communities. Eighty of the state’s 100 counties are classified as rural, and 87 of our 115 public […]
Demystifying the Pathways to Full Teacher Licensure: How Do I Become A Teacher in North Carolina?
As in other highly skilled careers, licensure requirements were put in place to ensure that candidates that enter the teaching profession are competent and effective. Unfortunately, licensure requirements can change […]
Assessment and Accountability During COVID-19: Supporting Safety and Learning for North Carolina’s Schools and Students
As school communities continue to navigate the impacts of a global pandemic, new learning environments (remote or hybrid) have brought forth complex challenges when it comes to safely, reliably and […]