Number 10

New Resource: NC K-12 Arts Education Resource Hub

The NC K-12 Arts Education Resource Hub is a repository for all Dance, Music, Theatre Arts and Visual Arts supporters. The purpose of this hub is to provide a space for the arts education community to explore resources that address the K-12 Dance, Music, Theatre Arts and Visual Arts Standard Courses of Study and access to resources that will assist with planning, instruction and professional learning designed to support effective standard-based teaching and learning.

Explore the Arts Education Hub.

Number 9

2024-25 Purple Star Award Office Hours

Schools and districts, do you have questions about the submission process for the Purple Star Award? Be sure to attend upcoming office hours for the 2024-25 Purple Star Award: 

• Thursday, Dec. 12 - 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 7 - 9 a.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 23 - 4 p.m.

Register and learn more about NC's efforts to celebrate schools that support military-connected students and families here. The deadline to apply is February 1.

Number 8

PIO Quarterly Call Survey

This week, Public Information Officers and Charter School Communications Leaders received a survey regarding the upcoming PIO Quarterly Call on December 11. Survey responses will help ensure we cover requested topics and establish dates for 2025 meetings.

If you did not receive the email with the survey and meeting links, please reach out to communications@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 7

EdNC: "DRIVE Coalition Launches to Focus on Diversifying the Educator Workforce"

"In late October, the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity (Flood Center) held its kick-off event for the DRIVE Coalition. This marked the first of ongoing gatherings to focus on the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of North Carolina’s K-12 educator workforce.

The statewide coalition is strategizing around the need to recruit, prepare, support, and retain educators of color."

Read the full story here. 

Number 6

UNCSA High School Visual Arts Applications Available for 2025-26 Academic Year

UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) Visual Arts Program is a residential program designed for high school juniors and seniors who have an artistic interest, dedication and enthusiasm they wish to pursue in a structured course of study. Learn more about the program.

Tuition is provided free of charge for in-state high school students, and the majority of their other educational costs (e.g., textbooks, health and wellness services, room and meal plan, activities, etc.) are covered by the North Carolina High School Artists Grant. Learn more about tuition and financial aid.

Rising high school juniors or seniors are encouraged to apply here.

Number 5

NCDPI Hour of Code Expo

Student-led Computer Science teams from across North Carolina will showcase the skills they are learning within the realm of coding and Computer Science at the Hour of Code Expo!

Students will present current Computer Science projects and activities happening in their school. Join the fun-filled learning as students provide demonstrations and hands-on activities for NCDPI employees, SBOE members, legislators, media and others.

When: December 12, 2024, 1- 3 p.m.
Where: Marsh Creek Community Center, 3050 N New Hope Road, Raleigh, NC 27604

Learn more and find a registration link here.

If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Hulbert, Elementary Computer Science Education Consultant.

Number 4

Volunteers Needed for Math Standards Data Review Committee

The NCDPI K-12 Math Team is soliciting volunteers to participate on a Math Standards Data Review Committee (DRC) to review data and trends on the current K-12 Math Standard Course of Study, along with feedback collected from interviews, focus groups and survey responses from stakeholders.

The DRC will analyze this data to make recommendations for a separate Standards Writing Team (SWT) to consider. Individuals with experience in reviewing and compiling data including K-12 educators, school and district leaders, educators from institutions of higher education and business and community leaders are encouraged to apply.

Learn more and submit an application here. The deadline to apply is December 2 at 8 a.m.

Number 3

WRAL: "NC Officials Announce $1M Fund for Field Trips for Public Schools"

"Some North Carolina public schools will get a funding boost for field trips under a new program announced Wednesday.

Gov. Roy Cooper and state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) Secretary Reid Wilson announced $1 million in new funding for field trips meant to support access to more than 100 DNCR locations across the state.

'Hands-on learning through field trips is an important part of children’s education but not all schoolchildren have the opportunity to experience them,' Cooper said in a statement. 'This program will help ensure that public school students have the opportunity to take field trips regardless of barriers like cost or location.'"

Read the full story here.

Number 2

EdNC Perspective Piece from NCDPI Director of Early Learning, Amy Rhyne: "The Importance of Staying the Course for Literacy Gains"

"As our students and schools prepare to slow down for the holidays, we are proud to reflect on a significant milestone: the completion of the statewide LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional development for preK-5 educators. This achievement marks an essential first step toward transforming literacy instruction throughout the state, aligned with research-based strategies.

Our gratitude extends to the committed investment made by state leaders, policymakers, and legislators, whose support has already begun to yield positive results. North Carolina has consistently outperformed national Amplify DIBELS 8th Edition (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) data for the past three years, a positive trend that reflects its strong educational performance.

While we take time to celebrate these early successes, it is crucial to recognize that our journey is just beginning. There remains significant work to be done to ensure that every student in our state achieves literacy proficiency."

Read the full perspective piece here. 

Number 1

The Daily Tar Heel: "NCDPI Receives $4 Million Grant to Implement Durable Skills in Education"

"On Oct. 30, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced they received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for the Skills for the Future project.

The project intends to shift the focus of education in North Carolina to an evaluation of durable skills, which include communication, collaboration, critical thinking, adaptability and personal responsibility, instead of relying solely on standardized tests to measure academic progress, providing a more holistic view of a student's capabilities.

Paula Wilkins, chief academic officer at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, said the project will change how students are preparing for their future careers.

'A lot of what we have done in our current assessment era has been about knowing information as factual, but not a lot about application and being able to look at additional skills that you need for the future, or what we might call durable skills,' she said.

Wilkins said the goal of the project is to create a learning environment where students engage critically with information while developing skills that extend beyond the classroom."

Read the full story here.