John N. Dornan, the founding executive director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina and an extremely important figure in North Carolina public education, passed away on March 27, 2025. While The Forum mourns his passing, we celebrate his life-long dedication to ensuring that every child in North Carolina had access to a high-quality public education. John’s leadership, vision and relentless advocacy shaped not only our organization but also the broader educational landscape of our state and beyond.
From the Forum’s inception in 1986, John worked tirelessly to establish it as a respected “think and do tank,” driving research, policy and innovation to improve public schools. His influence extended to landmark initiatives such as the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, which provided thousands of talented educators to classrooms across the state, and his unwavering focus on funding equity helped lay the foundation for the Leandro case, a pivotal legal battle affirming every child’s right to a sound basic education.
John’s impact on public education in North Carolina is immeasurable. Under his guidance, the Forum became a driving force for meaningful change, addressing critical issues in teacher preparation, school funding and student opportunity. He was also a mentor, a champion for teachers and students, and a steadfast believer in the power of education to transform lives. His work continues to inspire our mission, and his legacy will live on in every student, educator, and policymaker touched by his efforts.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and all those who had the privilege of working alongside him. In honoring his memory, we reaffirm our commitment to the values he championed — equity, innovation and excellence in public education.
Remembering John Dornan in the Words of His Colleagues
“John Dornan was a great man, a wonderful friend, and his life was a blessing to children. As President of the Public School Forum for more than 25 years, John led the most effective long-term collaboration to improve public schools in the State’s history. He persuaded government and business leaders to join with educators, parents, and countless others in a grand common purpose – to do what must be done to assure full educational opportunity for every child in North Carolina. The success of that long collaboration, a matter of record, was vast and transformational, a permanent monument to what good people can accomplish together, with a great leader. John’s dedicated life of service to children will be an inspiration for generations to come.”
— Gerry Hancock
“John Dornan, my dear friend and inspirational leader, always supported concepts of change with a visionary eye on the future of public education. John was never fearful of telling the truth because his truths were based on research and driven to help teachers become the best they could achieve. In the last few years I have missed his voice and writings. North Carolina has lost a great person who made education in NC better for all students and educators.”
— Dr. Sam Houston
“John Dornan was a creative thinker. He saw things as they were and projected how they ought to be. His objective was always to bridge that gap.
— Dr. Dudley Flood
“I knew John Dornan and his work for public education as far back as my time in the General Assembly in the 1970s. When I became involved with the Public School Forum in 2010, John was its executive director. His contributions to public education in North Carolina were longtime and substantial. His influence will be greatly missed.”
— Hon. Willis “Bill” Whichard
“There are monuments to John Dornan in classrooms all over North Carolina — teachers who have had a career because of the Teaching Fellow experience, children empowered by programs he developed, teachers and parents whom he encouraged, and so much more. Thank God for the public schools of North Carolina and for John Dornan who devoted most of his life to making them the best that they can be!”
— Tom Lambeth
“Many people talk about the Quaker tradition of speaking truth to power, John lived it. He was clear and direct as he advocated for the kids, teachers and administrators in North Carolina’s public schools.”
— Richard Urquhart
“John Dornan’s influence on K12 educational policy in North Carolina was legend among business, legislative, and governmental leaders. His earliest effort at the Public School Forum was to establish an amazing teacher preparation pipeline made up of high achieving high school graduates who were excited about becoming public school teachers. The original NC Teaching Fellows program served students at 17 public and private college and university campuses, was a four-year wraparound program that consistently produced graduates who were sought after by every school district superintendent, and operated with national acclaim for 25 years. There are still classroom teachers in our schools today who are quick to say, ‘I am a NC Teaching Fellow.’”
— Dr. Michael D. Priddy
“First as a principal and then as a superintendent, I experienced first hand John as an inspiring force for school level and systemic change and innovation in our public schools. I always said that, ‘If the Public School Forum had a pilot, our school system had the wings.’ He had that unique ability to both push and pull at the right time creating a blend of discomfort and excitement to take a risk to improve schools.”
— Dr. Tom Williams
It’s hard to overstate the impact of John Dornan’s influence on the state of North Carolina. Without his vision, tenacity and enduring passion for supporting good teaching and learning, the transformational work of the NC Teaching Fellows Program might never have been born. When I first met the mighty duo of John and Jo Ann Norris, I was a soon to be high school graduate, about to embark on my own journey to become a teacher as a member of the 2nd cohort of NC Teaching Fellows. What began then as encouragement and support from administrators of “a program” then became a friendship and source of sage advice and counsel all across my professional career in education. From international learning trips, EPFP, countless discussions about the work of the NC General Assembly and then across my time as Chair of the NC Teaching Fellows Commission – John was always a thoughtful guide and mentor to me – and countless others across the ‘ole North State. If the goal of a life is to make the proverbial difference, John Dornan succeeded, and then some. May his memory always be a great and wonderful blessing to those fortunate to have known him.
— John D. Denning
I worked for John Dornan at NCAE and witnessed his amazing ability to get things done! He was an awesome leader and counselor, yet approachable and supportive of his staff. His goal was to build a quality educational system in North Carolina that worked for teachers and students. He built upon that idea with the founding of the NC Public School Forum. NC needs more John Dornans!
John Dornan was a remarkable visionary and leading voice for the advancement of public education and for teacher education – as evidenced by his leadership in creating the NC Teaching Fellows Program. I know from first hand experience that the Teaching Fellows Program had a transformative impact on the public and private higher education institutions that hosted the program.
It was a great privilege so serve on several study groups convened by John Dornan during his leadership of The Forum. They were unique experiences that engaged thoughtful individuals across the P-16 education community, across political parties, in the business community, and caring citizens across the state.
I treasure our work and travel together domestically and overseas. He was smart, thoughtful, and made a difference wherever he found himself.
He has left behind a personal legacy and an organization that continues to be well-led and remains a major player for the advancement of public education in NC.
Charles Coble
Former Dean of the School of Education, East Carolina University and past Vice-President for University-School Programs, UNC General Administration