Governor McCrory Outlines Reform Goals to Education Cabinet | Eastern NC Now

For Immediate Release:

    Raleigh, NC     Governor Pat McCrory called on North Carolina's education leaders to increase their production of community college and university graduates as well as devise more innovative methods to increase teacher pay.

    These goals are part of an ambitious agenda laid out by McCrory and his Senior Education Advisor, Eric Guckian, to the recently re-convened Education Cabinet. The cabinet includes the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chair of the State Board of Education as well as the presidents of the community college and UNC System. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Aldona Wos is also part of the Education Cabinet given her department is responsible for pre-kindergarten programs in North Carolina.

    Guckian laid out the goals as part of 5 specific pathways for North Carolina education.

    The pathways are:

    Prosperity and Jobs for Graduates - The governor's plan calls for more students earning associates and bachelor degrees from the state's community colleges and universities. It also calls for an increase of students attaining more industry approved certificates and degrees. The governor also wants a commitment from businesses to hire more North Carolina graduates.

    A Rewarding Career for Teachers and Principals - This goal calls for innovative ways to significantly increase teacher salaries as well as devise meaningful rewards for the most productive educators. On the assessment side, the plan envisions fewer, but more meaningful classroom assessments and tests. It also wants more comprehensive measures, beyond student performance, of teacher and principal effectiveness.

    A Joy of Reading and Math for Every Child - Every student must be a proficient reader by the third grade and early education options are key in reaching that goal. This goal calls for meaningful and reliable measures of student literacy progress to be in place as well as teacher support.

    Excellent Innovative Learning Options for Families - This goal supports the expansion of high quality charter schools with a focus on academic excellence and diverse student populations. It also envisions a digital E-Learning agenda that can be accessed by students from early learning to adulthood.

    Cost Effectiveness for Taxpayers - This goal envisions a shared budget for some or all education initiatives for the next legislative session. It also looks to reward and replicate effective education practices while eliminating those that are unproductive.

    Since April's meeting, more than 50 volunteers have committed to the work groups to set a course of action for the reforms.

    The work groups will meet throughout the summer and report back to the full Education Cabinet.


    Contact: Crystal Feldman
     govpress@nc.gov