Coffee with Catherine: Superintendent Truitt's Parent Newsletter

North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 08/15/2024 06:00 PM EDT

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A Message From Superintendent Truitt Header

August 15, 2024

Coffee with Catherine

Parents and Guardians,

It's hard to believe that another summer break has flown by and the 2024-25 school year is already upon us!

The beginning of a school year can be a whirlwind with new classrooms, new teachers, sometimes even entirely new schools! I know how much work it takes to ensure our children are ready for their first day back at school, but I'd like to remind you all to try to take a moment amidst all the chaos to relish in this exciting time in your children's lives - these days won't last forever...

I hope the 2024-25 school year brings all of North Carolina's students, parents, guardians, educators and administrators a year full of learning, fun and good health!

Thank you for your continued interest in North Carolina's Public Schools.

Catherine Truitt
Superintendent, NC Department of Public Instruction

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

It makes me so proud to share that for the third year in a row, North Carolina’s kindergarten through third grade students have outperformed the national average on end-of-year literacy assessments! This accomplishment could not have been achieved without the hard work of all the elementary school teachers who completed the extensive LETRS professional development.

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.

NC K-3 Early Literacy Assessment Results vs Students in other states bar graph

They call it the ‘science’ of reading because, like any scientific concept, these methods are grounded in research and data. When we implemented LETRS, we knew we’d see results, but to have so many students improve this early in our state’s new literacy journey is a wonderful surprise. It speaks to the dedication of our teachers and the efficacy of the professional development coordinated by NCDPI’s Office of Early Learning.

NC Portrait of a Graduate Skills Meet Critical Workforce Needs, NC Commerce Analysis Finds

According to an analysis from the NC Department of Commerce's Labor and Economic Analysis Division, the durable skills identified in the NC Portrait of a Graduate are essential to every occupation in the state and that jobseekers need these skills to meet employer demands.

The data included in the analysis highlights the need to continue integrating durable skills into everyday learning across North Carolina classrooms. Workforce development is a passion of mine, and this research echoes what is regularly heard from employers and emphasizes the importance of our Portrait of a Graduate work.

The Portrait’s seven durable skills, that were synced with data from national Occupational Information Network (O*NET) are adaptability, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, empathy, learner’s mindset and personal responsibility.

In addition to academic knowledge, our graduates must also develop the ability to collaborate and communicate with others, adapt to challenging situations and think critically about the information presented to them to excel in the 21st century workforce.

New Program Will Create Job Opportunities in Drone Industry for NC High School Graduates

As our society and workforce evolve with emerging technologies, it's imperative that our schools and opportunities for students reflect the future of the workforce.

As the drone industry continues its rapid expansion, we are pleased to share that a new program is creating exciting career prospects for North Carolina’s high school students in the Uncrewed Ariel Systems (UAS) field, thanks to a partnership between the NCDPI and Zipline, the world’s largest autonomous delivery service.

The demand for highly skilled UAS operators and flight operations professionals is on the rise, and this one-of-a-kind partnership provides an innovative pathway program aimed at preparing students for professional UAS careers at Zipline. To qualify, students must graduate high school, successfully complete the UAS pathway program, meet GPA requirements and provide a written letter of recommendation from a faculty member.

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, this pathway program will be available at more than 60 high schools across the state that offer drone technology courses in their CTE departments, where students study the fundamentals of drones, legal requirements, simulations, drone flight training, mapping and more. Qualifying students are guaranteed an interview with Zipline upon completion.

See a full list of participating high schools here. Learn more about this career-connected learning opportunity for students here.

Building Data-Driven Capacity for NC School Districts

When public schools re-opened their doors to students after Covid-19 pandemic related closures, many districts faced – and continue to face – a range of challenges stemming from the pandemic.

During the 2023-24 school year, the North Carolina Practitioner Network came to fruition. The Practitioner Network is a partnership between the NCDPI and the UNC School of Education that is working to help districts across the state address lingering pandemic-related challenges through practice-informed research and evidenced-based solutions.

The Network’s state-wide, innovative approach to enhanced research-practice partnerships is unique in the national landscape, and helps educators gain access to research findings, helping them to stay at the forefront of best practices. Additionally, researchers benefit from the practical insights of educators, which can and does inspire new research questions and methodologies, advancing education and research.

This partnership is a win-win and fosters a culture of continuous improvement in public education in North Carolina.

Learn more here.

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