Number 10

NC Students Make Gains in 2021-22 from Last Year’s COVID Drop, Growth Rebounds

"North Carolina students improved their performance on state tests during the 2021-22 school year from the previous year’s COVID steep decline, and schools achieved growth almost on par with pre-pandemic levels, according to the state’s accountability report presented today to the State Board of Education.

Because of disruptions caused by the pandemic, the accountability report for the 2021-22 school year is the first since 2018-19 to feature all components of the state’s accountability framework, including the calculation of A-F School Performance Grades and growth designations."

Read the full press release here.

Number 9

NCVirtual Fall Digital Transition PD Series

NCVirtual Public School is kicking off their Fall Digital Transition Professional Development Series with a session hosted by the NCVirtual Teacher of the Year, Angela Haynes. The session, titled "Reclaiming Your 'WHY' to Promote Collaborative Relationships in the Classroom," will be September 7, 2022 from 5:00-6:00pm.

The NC Virtual Digital Transition series features best practices for supporting students and teachers in online/blended environments. Participants leave with a toolkit of valuable resources, tips, and strategies, as well as CEU certificates. All sessions are free and open to the public.

Register here.

Number 8

MEMO: Synopsis of Requirements Regarding Military and Military Families

Please find the memo from Superintendent Truitt regarding Synopsis of Requirements Regarding Military and Military Families here.

Number 7

Early Literacy Specialist Overview

The NC General Assembly funded 115 Early Literacy Specialist (ELS) positions. The Office of Early Learning (OEL) is wrapping up the final planning details to be communicated in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, in an attempt to answer some of the most common questions from districts, the OEL has created the NC Literacy Facilitator/ELS FAQ, which will be continuously updated with the latest and most recent information throughout this journey.

Learn more here.

Number 6

NCPAPA Literacy for Leaders Regional Seminars

The Office of Early Learning (OEL) is working in collaboration with NCPAPA to offer regional sessions as an additional support to the Literacy for Leaders Webinar series being offered by OEL. You do not have to participate in the Literacy for Leaders Webinar series to participate in the NCPAPA sessions.

Find the links to information and registration for the NCPAPA sessions being offered in person across the state in October below.

Charlotte | Raleigh | Wilmington

Learn more about the seminars here.

Number 5

Quarterly School Leaders Meeting

Superintendents and Charter School Leaders, save the date for the upcoming quarterly meetings on September 14 hosted by Dr. Rob Taylor and Superintendent Catherine Truitt. 

If you did not receive this meeting information, please email communications@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 4

Free ISTE Membership for NC Teachers

North Carolina educators, did you know you are getting a free membership to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)? Be on the lookout for an email from ISTE coming to your inbox on September 6th.

The ISTE membership includes access to a global educator community, professional resources, and much more! Learn more about ISTE here.

Number 3

2022-23 NC Purple Star Award Applications Now Open

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction launched the Purple Star Award Designation initiative to recognize the state’s strong military presence and its support for military families. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families.

Learn more and apply here.

Number 2

NCDPI's OLR Blog Post: Trends in Student Attendance and Instructional Mode during the 2020-2021 School Year

"Education uses attendance as both an indicator of student engagement and a predictor of outcomes in educational quality. Attendance has become an increasingly salient issue during the pandemic, given sustained disruptions to traditional in-person schooling and concerns regarding student development and equity.

In this post, OLR describes selected patterns of monthly attendance (whether present or absent) and instructional mode (whether present remotely or in-person) across North Carolina during the 2020-2021 school year. Attendance and instructional mode varied widely between geographic regions, local education agency (LEAs), schools, and students. This analysis utilizes statewide student-level monthly attendance data captured in PowerSchool."

Read the full post here.

Number 1

Video: 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.

Deputy Superintendent for Innovation Dr. Andrew Smith shares what the start of a school year meant for him as a kindergartener, graduating senior, new teacher, and now as a father sending his son to kindergarten.

Watch the video here.