Governor McCrory Outlines Education Goals To Education Cabinet | Eastern North Carolina Now

Recognizes Community College President Scott Ralls and Education Advisor Eric Guckian with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine

    Raleigh, N.C. — Governor Pat McCrory today challenged the North Carolina Education Cabinet to continue to work together to ensure North Carolina's education system is preparing students for the skills business and industry will need in the future.

    "I came to office promising to break down the silos in education so that we could maximize student outcomes, increase efficiencies and build the 21st century workforce that North Carolina needs to compete in a global economy," said Governor McCrory. "We have accomplished a great deal but need to continue working together."


    Along with Education Advisor Eric Guckian, Governor McCrory highlighted recent accomplishments in North Carolina's education. These include the agreement between the UNC System and North Carolina Community College System to make it easier for students to transfer credits between two and four year degrees; increasing student access to digital learning; becoming a national leader in providing in-state tuition for military veterans at our universities and community colleges; and passing one of the largest teacher raises in North Carolina history as part of an overall investment of nearly $1 billion in new teacher raises and education investments.

    While Governor McCrory acknowledged the progress North Carolina has made in improving education in North Carolina since he has entered office, he stressed the need for the state's education entities to continue working together. The governor outlined several goals including passing the Connect NC bond proposal which includes $734 million for investments in the UNC system and community colleges to support innovation and research, supporting the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, which is included in the governor's proposed budget, and continuing to improve school connectivity through e-learning. He also called for converting more research dollars into products through the governor's Innovation to Jobs initiative and allowing local education leaders greater flexibility in decision making regarding personnel and funding.

    Governor McCrory also thanked Community College President Scott Ralls and Education Advisor Eric Guckian for their service to the state. Both leaders are leaving their positions later this year. President Ralls will become the president of Northern Virginia Community College, a six-campus community college with 75,000 degree-seeking students in the Washington suburbs. Guckian will become Vice President of Alliances for Leadership for Educational Equity, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Teach For America (TFA) corps members and alumni to grow as leaders and help build the movement for educational equity.

    In recognition of their service, Governor McCrory presented both Ralls and Guckian with The Order of the Long Leaf Pine.


    "We are grateful for leaders like Scott Ralls and Eric Guckian, who have both shown a strong commitment to education here in the state of North Carolina," said Governor McCrory.

    Governor McCrory reconvened the cabinet when he took office in 2013 to work together with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the president of the University of North Carolina (UNC) System, the president of the North Carolina Community College System and the president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities to find ways to improve education in North Carolina at all levels.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov