|
Highlights
NCBCE Newsletter | December 2025: Governor Hunt was more than a political leader; he was a true statesman and a visionary who believed that the strength of North Carolina’s economy was inextricably linked to the quality of its classrooms. In 1983, Governor Hunt created NCBCE with a revolutionary idea: that the business community should not just be a consumer of the education system, but a primary partner in its success. He established NCBCE as a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit uniquely housed within the Governor’s Office, ensuring that every subsequent leader of our state would have a direct bridge to the business world to support our students and teachers. Governor Hunt often spoke about the "statesman’s duty" to look beyond the next election and toward the next generation: "The work of education is never finished. It requires a sustained, collective effort—a partnership where the CEO and the kindergarten teacher are working toward the same goal: a state where every child has the opportunity to burgeon out all that is within them."
EdNC - Staff | January 5, 2026: The U.S. Department of Education has awarded more than $208 million to 65 recipients to increase the number of school-based mental health service providers in high-need school districts, according to a Dec. 11 press release. According to a department website, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction received $4.8 million under the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program for the current fiscal year.
EdNC - Hannah Vinueza McClellan | January 8, 2026: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the U.S. childhood immunization schedule this week, reducing the number of routine recommended vaccines for all children from 17 to 11. The move followed an announcement of the recommendations by federal health officials on Monday, citing a scientific review “of the underlying science, comparing the U.S. child and adolescent immunization schedule with those of peer, developed nations.” The new schedule “represents one of the most dramatic changes in childhood disease prevention policy in decades,” according to the Yale School of Public Health. As of this week, HHS and the CDC no longer broadly recommend vaccines for six viruses: rotavirus, COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis A/hepatitis B, some forms of meningococcal disease, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Instead, the vaccines will only be recommended for certain high-risk groups or involve shared decision-making between parents and health care providers. The CDC still recommends children get vaccinated for the following illnesses: measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV), and varicella (chickenpox).
January State Board Meeting
-
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
-
Thursday, January 8, 2026
State Board of Education in the News:
NCDPI Press Release | December 12, 2025: The State Board of Education January meeting adjourned in honor of Allison Schafer's service. The North Carolina State Board of Education (SBE) and North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green announced the upcoming retirement of Allison Schafer, general counsel to both the Board and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). Schafer will conclude her distinguished service on January 31, 2026, after more than 40 years dedicated to North Carolina’s public schools and five years in the dual general counsel role. The SBE and Green also announced the appointment of Tiffany Lucas as the next general counsel, effective February 1, 2026.
WRAL NEWS - Emily Walkenhorst | January 8, 2026: The State Board of Education approved Thursday new standards for English classes and reading and writing lessons. The new standards, which go into effect in the 2027-28 school year, expand reading and writing requirements to include poetry and even audio texts. The state doesn't write curriculum but often provides examples of lessons. School systems and even individual schools or teachers select or write curriculum.
Access all YouTube recordings of SBE meetings here.
|
EdNC - Eric Davis | January 1, 2026
As we head into 2026, for the first time in nearly a decade, a unified step has been taken to declare our commitment to our children — the adoption of the North Carolina Public Schools Strategic Plan: Achieving Educational Excellence — in which we dare to proclaim our commitment to have the finest schools in our nation by 2030.
The task of building educational excellence for all lies with all leaders across our state, in roles large and small. In this effort, none of us can remain unaligned. To reach educational excellence, none can be uncommitted. It will take a different way of working together. Instead of burying one’s adversary, we must work collaboratively and leverage our differences, because we achieve so much more when we work as a team.
In fact, educational excellence will not be achieved by dramatic victories. Educational excellence is a daily, monthly process — steadily growing our educators’ skills and constantly increasing access and opportunities for all students.
How will we achieve educational excellence?
In 2026 and beyond, we will marshal our state’s unbridled ambition for our children, as expressed in these eight pillars:
- We believe in preparing each student for the next phase in life;
- We believe in revering public school educators;
- We believe in enhancing parent, caregiver, and community support;
- We believe in ensuring healthy, safe, and secure learning environments;
- We believe in optimizing our schools’ operational excellence;
- We believe in leading transformational change;
- We believe in celebrating the excellence in public education; and
- We believe in galvanizing champions to fully invest in and support public education.
The question before us — do we have the courage and commitment to achieve educational excellence for our children — is but part of a larger vision.
What kind of North Carolina do we want to leave future generations?
In the 2024-25 school year, our students raised their combined academic achievement in 12 of 15 end-of-year tested areas, achieved the highest graduation rate in history, and thousands of students — like every year — will go on to compete and flourish in some of the most prestigious universities in our nation. So many others will successfully master their employer’s craft, and still others will serve our nation in the military.
Our students’ recent successes are not enough to bring educational excellence, but they are a lever. And as Archimedes, in explaining the principles of the lever, was said to declare: “Give me a place where I can stand, and I shall move the world.”
So let’s all take our stand here, now, in this place.
Let’s see if we, in our own time, can move our part of the world — North Carolina — to educational excellence, the best schools in America.
K-12 Education Bills
Bills To Watch
The following bills affecting K-12 education are still eligible for additional legislative action this session. All of the bills below have been placed on the House Calendar for Monday, January 12, 2026. No votes are anticipated.
-
HB 87 Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA).
-
HB 171 Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI.
-
SB 50 Freedom to Carry NC.
-
SB 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act.
-
SB 227 Eliminating "DEI" in Public Education.
Reminder: Bills ≠ Laws
Only a few dozen bills typically make it “across the finish line” and become law each legislative session.
- For the current 2025 legislative session, 1,800+ total bills were introduced.
- Of these, 108 bills have become law so far.
- Of these 108 new laws, NCGA staff have noted 42 laws relate to education in some way.
North Carolina General Assembly in the News:
Carolina Journal - Katherine Zehnder | January 8, 2026
On Tuesday, state Auditor Dave Boliek appeared before the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety to brief the committee on the soon-to-be-released report from the auditor’s office on the Division of Accountability, Value and Efficiency (DAVE). Bolek’s presentation relates to the recently announced dashboard, which tracks lapsed salaries and long-term vacancies (six months or longer) across state agencies.
Boliek explained that he wanted to allow every state agency to contextualize its vacant positions after reading a draft of the report, which was submitted to every state agency listed in the report. Those submissions from state agencies are due by Jan. 7. Boliek anticipates delivering a full narrative report, which exceeds 500 pages in length, and to release it to the public this month.
Wilmington StarNews - Bob Liepa | January 2, 2026
Student cell phone usage - Public school governing bodies are required to establish a policy prohibiting students from using, displaying or having a wireless communication device turned on during instructional time.
A section of House Bill 958 provides for exceptions: if such usage is authorized by a teacher for educational purposes or for use in the event of an emergency; if it is required by the student’s individualized education program; if it is required to manage a student’s health care, in accordance with a documented medical condition.
Public schools are required to establish consequences for violations, which can include confiscation of the device and disciplinary measures. This section became effective July 1. Governing bodies must adopt the policy no later than Jan. 1.
|
|
|
North Carolina General Assembly
2026 NCGA Candidate Information
NCGA House incumbents not running for reelection:
- District 7: Rep. Matthew Winslow, (D) Franklin and Vance
- District 20: Rep. Ted Davis Jr., (R) New Hanover
- District 22: Rep. William Brisson, (R) Bladen and Sampson
- District 32: Rep. Bryan Cohn, (D) Granville and Vance
- District 51: Rep. John Sauls, (R) Lee and Moore
- District 55: Rep. Mark Brody, (R) Anson and Union
- District 63: Rep. Stephen Ross, (R) Alamance
- District 76: Rep. Harry Warren, (R) Rowan
- District 90: Rep. Sarah Stevens, (R) Surry and Wilkes
NCGA Senate incumbent not running for reelection:
- District 1: Sen. Bobby Hanig, (R) Bertie, Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell
SJR 776: Adjournment Resolution Changes, approved by lawmakers in September, adjusted the legislative schedule for the remainder of the 2025 long session.
The NCGA is currently scheduled to reconvene on the following remaining dates, although legislative action on these dates, if any, is still to be determined:
o Jan. 12, 2026 - Jan. 15, 2026 - No votes are anticipated
o Feb. 9, 2026 - Feb. 12, 2026
o March 9, 2026 - March 12, 2026
o April 6, 2026 - April 9, 2026
o April 21, 2026 — Start of 2026 Short Session
State Budget Information & Resources
2025 State Budget Proposal
2025 Enacted "Mini Budgets"
2023 State Budget
Other State Budget Resources
K-12 Education Legislation Resources
Enacted Hurricane Helene Recovery Legislation
|
Useful Acronyms
DPI = Department of Public Instruction
GS = General Statute
HB/SB = House Bill/Senate Bill
JR = Joint Resolution
LB/LOB = Legislative Building/Legislative Office Building
LEA = Local Education Agency
NCGA = North Carolina General Assembly
PCS = Proposed Committee Substitute
PSU = Public School Unit
SBE = North Carolina State Board of Education
SL = Session Law
For the glossary of education acronyms/terms, click here.
For the glossary of legislative terms, click here.
|
|
Applications Open for the North Carolina Holocaust Educator Seminar in Poland 2026
The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) will sponsor five teacher spots to attend the Holocaust Educator Seminar in Poland, scheduled for July 19-27, 2026. Most expenses for the trip, including flights, lodging, some meals and activities, will be included. Selected participants would return with significant expertise in the fields of Holocaust and Genocide Education. Preference will be given to middle and high school English and social studies educators.
- The deadline to apply is January 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
- Find the application here.
- Selected teachers will be notified by February 2, 2026.
For additional details on programming, last year's schedule can be found here. Please direct any questions to Karen Sumner at karen.sumner@nccat.org.
|
In Other News
Office of Governor Josh Stein Press Release | January 5, 2026
“North Carolina’s strength is our people,” said Governor Josh Stein. “They power our economy. North Carolina is already the top state for business; now we are the top state for workforce. In 2025, North Carolina had our best year of job announcements ever. We must continue to invest in our people and expand pathways that prepare more people for the career opportunities being built here. With strategic leadership from my Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, North Carolina will not be outworked when it comes to workforce development.”
“This recognition shows what’s possible when we align education, workforce training, and the real needs of employers,” said Senator Eddie Settle, co-chair of the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships. “Through the Council’s work, we are focused on practical, results-driven strategies that expand apprenticeships, strengthen work-based learning, and open doors for more North Carolinians to secure good jobs. Workforce development is economic development, and this ranking confirms we’re moving in the right direction.”
"This workforce development ranking reflects the strength of North Carolina's educational continuum, starting with our public schools," said North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice "Mo" Green. "Recently, our public schools have produced a historic high in graduation rates, record-breaking levels of students earning college credits while in high school, and incredible success with Career and Technical Education (CTE) participation and performance. By implementing our new strategic plan, we can build on what works and have the best public schools in the nation by 2030.”
EdNC - Analisa Sorrells Archer | January 7, 2026
On Wednesday, new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) were released by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). Updated every five years, the guidelines help determine what food is served in schools and at child care centers, among other things.
The DGAs for 2025-2030 mark a departure from previous guidelines by encouraging the consumption of red meat and full-fat dairy, and, for the first time, urging Americans to limit consumption of “highly processed” foods.
While it is not yet known exactly how the new DGAs will impact school meals, the USDA is required by law to develop school nutrition standards that “reflect the goals” of the most recent edition of the DGAs.
Following the release of the 2020-2025 DGAs, the USDA initiated a rule-making process that resulted in stricter school nutrition standards, including new limits on sodium and added sugars.
American School & University - Mike Kennedy | January 4, 2026
North Carolina contends in a lawsuit that the U.S. Department of Education unlawfully terminated nearly $50 million in federal education funding for the state's public schools, most of it earmarked for rural and low-income communities.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson says the funding was awarded through the federal Full-Service Community Schools program and was already being used to support about 23,000 students, including in counties heavily affected by Hurricane Helene. On December 12, the Department of Education notified North Carolina that these grants would be terminated effective December 31. If allowed to stand, this will force schools to shut down programs and potentially lay off staff in the middle of the school year.
Click here to subscribe to the weekly legislative update or other NC Department of Public Instruction topics.
To view previous K-12 Education Legislative Updates, click here.
NCDPI Office of Government Affairs: Anne Murtha – Legislative Specialist
|
|
|
|
|
