Number 10

August Digital Accessibility Sessions

NCDPI will continue to offer its series of accessibility webinars throughout August. The professional learning opportunities will help school and district personnel comply with a new rule that revises the regulation of implementing Title II of the American Disabilities Act (ADA).

Find the list of online sessions, accessibility resources and more here.

Number 9

NC Comprehensive Arts Education Conference Registration Open

Join North Carolina’s arts education community September 7 for the NC Comprehensive Arts Education Conference at Meredith College in Raleigh.

Don't miss this important statewide professional development opportunity for dance, music, theatre and visual arts educators, district arts education leaders, teaching artists, arts integration specialists and pre-service teachers.

Learn more and register here. The registration deadline is August 30.

Number 8

Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund (NBPSCF) Grant Application Schedule

The application period for new FY24-25 NBPSCF Capital Facility Grants opened today, August 1. Program guidance and application materials can be found on the Capital Funding page of the School Planning website. The deadline for submitting applications and supporting materials is September 13.

Questions about the NBPSCF Grant program should be directed to Nathan Maune, AIA, via email at nathan.maune@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 7

Career and College Ready Graduate (CCRG) Training Webinars

Attention leads, administrators and teachers for the Career and College Ready Graduate (CCRG) program! Webinar trainings are scheduled for August 22 to kick off the 2024-25 school year. Learn about program updates, review the platform and access student support resources.

Leads and administrators can register here. Teachers can register here. 

Number 6

North Carolina Aquarium Mini-Grants Available for Title I Educators

NC Title 1 Teachers, it's time to apply for an Aquarium Scholars grant! The program provides immersive STEM experiences from the NC Aquariums and Jennette’s Pier at little to no cost.

Learn more and apply here. The deadline to apply is September 6.

Number 5

North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) Open House and Parent Orientation Events

On August 6 and August 8, NCVPS will host a Virtual Open House open to both current and prospective students and parents. School personnel new to the program are invited to attend as well. Come learn about NCVPS, meet with teachers and students, hear about support initiatives and get all your questions answered about student learning with NCVPS!

On August 20 and August 22, there will be a Parent Orientation for parents of students enrolled for the fall 2024 term. Parents will learn how to access the NCVPS Virtual Support Center and how to use the Canvas Parent App and Observer Access to monitor student progress. Information about student engagement opportunities like the NCVPS Peer Tutoring Center, clubs and the guest speaker series will be included. An NCVPS teacher and students will describe what to expect from an NCVPS course.

Please share this information with those who would be interested. Registration and links for both events can be found on the NCVPS Open House webpage.

Number 4

EdNC: "New North Carolina Music Office to Promote and Invest in State’s Music Industry"

"North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has announced the creation of a North Carolina Music Office to bolster and honor the state’s music industry and its artists by investing in the industry and creating music programming.

'North Carolina’s vibrant music industry is a key part of our state’s creative economy, driving economic growth and supporting nearly 45,000 jobs,' Cooper said in a press release. 'An official N.C. Music Office will support this growing and important industry.'

The office will raise awareness of North Carolina’s musical heritage and education efforts while promoting economic development within the state through the music industry.

This new office will be based within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) and will be equipped with a team to create a state music strategy through partnerships with several groups, including the N.C. Arts Council, the N.C. Museum of Art, the N.C. Museum of History, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, the N.C. African American Heritage Commission, the N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission, and more. "

Read the full story here.

Number 3

Nominate a District Leader for EdWeek's 2025 Leaders To Learn From Report

Education Week wants your input for a special report profiling school district leaders who have brought fresh, successful ideas to their school communities. Nominees should be district-level personnel. In addition to superintendents, previous honorees led teaching and learning, food services, transportation, student and family engagement and equity. 

Nominations for the 2025 Leaders are now open, the nomination period closes on Monday, September 9, 2024. Find the nomination form here.

Learn more about Leaders to Learn From and see the 2024 Leaders to Learn From here.

Number 2

EdNC: "Center for Safer Schools Holds Annual Summit"

The Center for Safer Schools is holding its annual RISE Back to School Safety Summit from July 29-Aug. 2, 2024, at Union Station Conference Center at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, according to a press release by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

The Center for Safer Schools promotes safe learning environments in the more than 2,500 public K-12 schools across North Carolina, according to DPI’s website, by serving as a hub of information and providing technical assistance on school climate, school discipline, and emergency preparedness.

The Center has six areas where it focuses its work: mental health; physical security and emergency preparedness; school climate and discipline; substance use; gang intervention; and school resource officers (SROs).

The Center works with educators and staff, law enforcement, youth-serving community agencies, juvenile justice officials, policymakers, as well as parents, guardians, and students."

Read more and see photos from RISE here. 

Number 1

"Once Again, NC’s K-3 Students Outperform National Average on Reading Skills Assessment"

"For the third year in a row, North Carolina’s kindergarten through third grade students outperformed the national average on end-of-year literacy assessments, according to data presented to the State Board of Education today.

The number of students who met or exceeded the benchmark for the DIBELS 8 (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment grew by 81,616 from the beginning of the 2023-24 school year to the end. Meanwhile, 53,808 fewer students scored well below benchmark.

At every grade level tested, a higher percentage of North Carolina students measured as "on track” than the national average. K-2 students also showed greater improvement from beginning- to end-of-year assessments, while third graders improved at the same rates as their peers."

Read the full press release here.