Number 10

Golden LEAF Schools Initiative Request for Proposals

The Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative's Personalized, Competency-Based Education, Cohort #2, is live now. Eligible schools are invited to apply through 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The RFP includes details about the initiative and cohort, application materials and links to upcoming informational webinars.

Find the RFP and additional information here.

Questions? Email rachel.wrightjunio@dpi.nc.gov or jay.johnson@dpi.nc.gov.

Number 9

Office of Exceptional Children 2025-2026 Parent Survey - Special Education

NCDPI's Office of Exceptional Children, invites families of students receiving special education services to complete the 2025–26 Indicator 8 Parent Survey. This quick, two-minute anonymous survey — available in multiple languages — helps guide improvements for students and families.

Take the survey here. Responses will be accepted through June 30.

Number 8

PD Opportunity for - Rivers and Resistance: Freedom Seeking in Eastern NC

Middle and high school teachers of all disciplines are invited to an immersive, cross-disciplinary weekend exploring how enslaved people carved pathways to liberation through North Carolina’s waterways, swamps and landscapes. Discover powerful stories of resilience and resistance through tours, discussions and hands-on activities.

Earn 2.0 CEUs in this free, new pilot experience offered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and Carolina K-12. This place-based learning opportunity includes:

🌟 Private tours of DNCR's Historic Edenton & Somerset Place
🌟 Guided canoe tour on the Cashie River led by staff at DNCR's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
🌟 Private performance of spiritual and freedom songs by Mary D. Williams
🌟 Foodways workshop and lunch with award-winning Chef Adé Carrena
🌟 Keynote by Antwain K. Hunter
🌟 2.0 CEUs, lodging & a travel stipend

Space is limited. The deadline to apply is February 22.

Learn more and apply here.

Number 7

Resource: 2026 ELA Standard Course of Study (SCOS) Communications Toolkit

The 2026 English Language Arts (ELA) SCOS Communications Toolkit is designed to help public school units (PSUs) communicate the newly adopted 2026 ELA SCOS to stakeholders. It provides ready-to-use templates, key messages, an FAQ, and visual materials to assist with timely and effective communication. The resources included may be adapted to fit PSU needs, helping PSUs keep all stakeholders informed.

The NCDPI ELA Team strongly encourages PSUs to use the provided resources to inform their stakeholders of the 2026 standards adoption.

Number 6

February Character Challenge: #KindnessMattersNC

Embrace the spirit of kindness throughout February with the #KindnessMattersNC Challenge! This month-long initiative encourages teachers, leaders, students and families to engage in daily acts of kindness. Whether integrated into morning meetings and content area classes, each day presents an opportunity for reflection, writing and fostering a culture of compassion.

📝 Access daily videos and journal prompts to guide your reflections.

📸 Share your experiences on social media using the hashtag #KindnessMattersNC. Districts and PSUs are encouraged to spread positivity by showing how kindness has impacted their school or encouraging students to create their own kindness videos!

Educators can submit evidence of school initiatives or student work to NCDPI. Your submissions may be featured on NCDPI social media, newsletters and website. Also, be sure to share your experiences on your social media using the hashtag #CharacterMattersNC!

Number 5

This Week is National School Counseling Week! 

Happy National School Counseling Week! Did you know that there are more than 4,200 school counselors statewide serving students in and out of the classroom?

Professional school counselors are certified/licensed educators with master’s degrees in school counseling and are uniquely qualified to help students reach their academic and well-being goals.

This week, reach out and thank your school counselors for all they do!

Number 4

Celebrate the Good Blog: "How Service Learning Shapes Confident, Capable Graduates"

This post was written by Alicia Rheel, head of Island Montessori Charter School in Wilmington that serves students K-8.

"At Island Montessori Charter School, we believe public education is at its best when students are empowered not only to learn, but to contribute meaningfully to the world around them. From their earliest years on our campus, students are encouraged to see themselves as capable, responsible members of a larger community. Learning is not something that happens to them — it is something they actively shape, apply and reflect upon.

One of the clearest expressions of this belief is our commitment to service learning. Rooted deeply in Montessori philosophy and aligned with the mission of public education, service learning at Island Montessori is not an add-on or a single event. It is an intentional practice that helps students connect academic learning with real-world purpose, while developing the skills they will carry long after they leave our school.

Service learning at Island Montessori begins with opportunities for all grade levels. Students become ambassadors — helping research, plan, collaborate and reflect — while taking ownership of both the process and the outcome. From here, many students find ways to expand their interests through passion projects."

Read the full blog post from head of Island Montessori Charter School Alicia Rheel here. 

Number 3

North Carolina's Public Schools Show Strong Levels of Safety

"Demonstrating strong levels of safety, North Carolina public school units (PSUs) reported that nearly 80% of schools had five or fewer acts of reportable criminal offenses (reportable offenses), with 44% of schools having zero such acts, in the 2024-25 academic year.

According to the annual report on discipline, alternative learning and dropout data, formerly titled the Consolidated Data Report, presented to the State Board of Education (SBE) today, PSUs reported decreases in reportable offenses, suspensions and dropouts in 2024-25 compared to the prior two years. The report also shows that fewer than 1% of 1.5 million students, only 9,966 students or approximately 0.66%, committed a reportable offense. Fewer than 13% of all students received any type of reportable disciplinary consequence (suspension, alternative placement for disciplinary reasons, expulsion) for inappropriate behavior."

Read the full press release here. 

Number 2

Celebrate the Good Blog: "Exceeding Expectations at Tri-County Early College"

This post was written by Victoria Jimenez-Higdon, a senior at Tri-County Early College (Cherokee County Schools) and a member of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.

"When I was in eighth grade, I was faced with the question, or more so, my mom informed me that I would be going to an early college. I was afraid I wasn’t going to live the true high school experience. I was unsure if I could go to prom or have a homecoming dance. I was most afraid of meeting new people and making new connections. I wasn’t sure if I could live up to those expectations. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make friends.

To provide context, my previous school is one of the smallest in North Carolina, with less than 150 students across all 12 grades. I had been there since Pre-K and knew everyone at the school. I had known nothing but this small school. But soon, the summer came to an end, and I found myself walking into the doors of Tri-County Early College (TCEC).

Across my four years here, I have never worried about any of my initial concerns. The faculty has been nothing but supportive and always willing to help. From day one, I was treated with respect and dignity. I was treated as an individual rather than a number, and I was encouraged to put my name out there and to just be myself."

Read Victoria's full blog post here.

Number 1

North Carolina CTE Students Earn Record-Breaking 382,964 Industry Credentials in 2024-2025

"North Carolina Career and Technical Education (CTE) students earned a record 382,964 industry-recognized credentials during the 2024-2025 academic year, the highest total in state history, according to a report released today by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).

The state ranks second nationwide for the percentage of K-12 students participating in CTE, with 36.1% of all students enrolled in a CTE course. Only Nebraska ranks higher. The credential achievement represents a 59% attainment rate, meaning students earned nearly six out of every 10 credentials available to them through their CTE coursework.

'The record amount of credentials represents real opportunities for our students,' said State Superintendent Maurice 'Mo' Green. 'When a student earns an industry-recognized credential, they're not just completing a course, they are gaining a competitive advantage in the job market and building a foundation for long-term career success.'

Since the 2020-2021 academic year, North Carolina has seen consistent growth in credential attainment, driven in part by increased funding from the NC General Assembly. In 2022-2023, funding reached $15.8 million, enabling public school units (PSUs) to offer credentialing opportunities to virtually all CTE students."

Read the full press release here.