Number 10

NC Early Grade Students Make Strong Gains in Literacy Skills, Assessment Shows

"North Carolina’s youngest students made strong gains in early literacy skills during the 2021-22 school year, outpacing the performance of students in other states where the same assessment is used to measure student progress throughout the year.

The gains were achieved during the first full year of a far-reaching statewide initiative to support elementary school teachers with extensive training in instruction based on the “science of reading,” a phonics-based approach with strong evidence of effectiveness. State education leaders are encouraged by last year’s assessment outcomes, which they say are an early indication that schools across the state are embracing the science of reading in the classroom even as many teachers are still learning about it through the two-year professional development program, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, or LETRS."

Read the full press release here.

Number 9

Determining Eligibility of Free and Reduced-Priced School Meals Applications Webinar

The Determining Eligibility of Free and Reduced Application webinar will provide information about handling and processing meal benefit applications per federal guidelines. This continuing education opportunity will be recorded for future reference and viewing. 

The webinar information is provided only for School Food Authorities (SFA) using the Free and Reduced-Priced School Meals Application to determine student or household eligibility for school meals. If your SFA processes household applications to determine meal benefits, please make sure the appropriate personnel participate in this webinar.

The webinar will be August 31 from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Register here.

Number 8

Applications Open for NCDPI Dual Language/Immersion in NC Committee for 2022-2024

Becoming a member of this committee provides you with the opportunity to share your expertise and collaborate with the NCDPI Dual Language/Immersion (DL/I) Team and other NC educators across the state.

The main purposes of the DL/I in NC Committee are to:

• advise on policy and implementation questions;
• give input on materials, resources and information created and disseminated to support DL/I implementation;
• provide feedback on the professional development needs of the DL/I field; and
• voluntarily serve on workgroups/committees to develop DL/I processes, resources, PD, etc.

Applications are due by September 1. Learn more and apply here.

Number 7

Meet Your Amy Day at Fort Bragg

Join the XVIII Airborne Corps and the Raleigh Recruiting Battalion for Meet Your Army day! Learn about the many opportunities and advantages of serving in the U.S. Army while getting up close and personal with some of the Army's most crucial assets. 

Meet Your Army day will be held at Fort Bragg on September 15. See the full schedule and register for the event here.

Number 6

Video: School Bus Safety

As we begin the 2022-23 school year, now is a great time to remind students of the best school bus safety practices! 

Watch and share this video from the NC Department of Transportation to help keep our students safe around and on school buses all year long. 

Number 5

NC Healthy Schools Team Reopens Standards Writing Team and Data Review Committee Applications

NCDPI's NC Healthy Schools team has reopened applications for the Standards Writing Team (SWT) and Data Review Committee (DRC) in Health and Physical Education. Previous applicants do not need to reapply.

Find the links to apply below:

• Health Education SWT
• Physical Education SWT
• Health Education DRC
• Physical Education DRC

Number 4

Career Awards for STEM Teachers Grant

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s Career Award for STEM Teachers recognizes outstanding STEM teachers in North Carolina's public primary and secondary schools. The award provides $175,000 over five years and is available to NC teachers who have an outstanding performance record in educating children and who demonstrate a solid knowledge of STEM content.

This award presents opportunities for professional development and collaboration with other master science and/or mathematics teachers who will help to ensure their success as teachers and their satisfaction with the field of teaching. The award offers schools and school districts the opportunity to fully develop and empower teachers as leaders in the field.

Applications are due on September 28 by 4 p.m. Learn more and apply here. 

Number 3

NCDPI Leaders Share First Day of School Memories

With the start of the 2022-23 school year underway, NCDPI staff wanted to share some things that made the start of the school year special for them as students.

Superintendent Truitt remembers the first day of school was always exciting because it meant she would meet her new teacher!

Watch the video here.

Number 2

2022-23 NC WIDA Workshops and eLearning Club

Every school year, NCDPI ESL/Title III offers both face-to-face and online workshops developed by World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA). WIDA Workshops are free and available to all NC public and charter school educators. 

The eLearning Club is a professional learning opportunity for educators of multilingual learners to discuss the WIDA eLearning Workshops and share ideas on how to implement the resources. Educators completing the workshops will have the opportunity to join live sessions for open discussion.

Learn more about the workshops and e-learning club sessions here.

Number 1

Truitt Announces Plan to Address Pay Concerns Affecting Some Principals

"State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt announced a plan today which will be considered by the State Board of Education (SBE) next week, to address concerns of principals whose pay may have been reduced starting Jan. 1 because of an updated provision in the 2022 state budget. The change stated that principal pay would be based on just one year of school performance data, from the 2021-22 year, instead of three years of data. The change could result in substantial pay cuts to some of North Carolina’s best principals, as it tied salaries to school performance during a year when schools continued to face significant disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Truitt announced that the Department of Public Instruction plans to draw from the federal Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) III fund to compensate North Carolina’s principals who would have otherwise been negatively affected by this policy change."

Read the full press release here.