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Number 10
Apply for the Smithsonian's Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program
The application period for Cohort 7 (spring 2027) of the Smithsonian Institution's Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange Program is currently open! Join fellow educators in Washington, D.C. for an immersive 3-day summit with Smithsonian experts and resources. Then guide your students in place-based investigations as they explore innovation within their local community. Connect them with peers from a different part of the country to share their discoveries and reflect on their past, present and future.
Educators working with students ages 10-19 are invited to apply. CEU credits and costs for the January summit in Washington D.C. will be covered for participants.
Learn more and apply here. The deadline to apply is Oct. 5.
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Number 9
NC Collaboratory K-12 Education 2026 Study Mandates
The NC Collaboratory is a funding agency created by the NC General Assembly in 2016 for the purpose of supporting academic research that generates practical information for State and local governments and the communities they serve.
The 2025–2027 budget expanded the NC Collaboratory’s legislative portfolio to a record 25 mandated studies spanning education, workforce development, health care, public safety and mental health. Together, these studies reflect the General Assembly’s growing reliance on the Collaboratory to provide independent research, rigorous evaluation and practical recommendations that help inform policy decisions across North Carolina.
See the Collaboratory's K-12 focused study mandates here. Please contact Jeni Corn at jeni_corn@unc.edu with any questions.
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Number 8
Applications Open for 2026-27 Multilingual Learner Teacher Network (MLTN)
Take your co-teaching partnership statewide by applying to the 2026-27 Multilingual Learner Teacher Network (MLTN)!
Great co-teaching brings together the expertise of Multilingual Learners (ML) and content teachers to create stronger learning opportunities for multilingual learners. The NCDPI ML/Title III Team invites current ML–content co-teaching pairs to apply together for this statewide community of practice.
Selected pairs will study evidence-based guidance, strengthen their collaborative teaching practices and develop classroom-ready resources to share with educators across North Carolina. Individual applicants are also welcome and may be matched with compatible participants.
Members will attend three MLTN meetings as well as the summer conference, and devote approximately one hour per week to required readings, partner collaboration and resource development. Selected participants will receive sponsorship for approved costs associated with the required in-person convenings.
Join a statewide community dedicated to improving outcomes for multilingual learners and apply for the 2026-27 MLTN here. The deadline to apply is Oct. 15.
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Number 6
When a School Needs a Teacher, NCVPS Has It CoverEd
Whether a school faces a long-standing vacancy or an unexpected staffing gap, NC Virtual Public School (NCVPS) can step in quickly with full instructional support from licensed North Carolina teachers.
Schools across the state rely on NCVPS CoverEd to keep learning on track for entire classes. By pairing licensed teachers with flexible, high-quality online courses, CoverEd offers a seamless solution that minimizes disruption and supports student success. Whole-class and individual student enrollments are available.
To learn how NCVPS can support a school or district, open a ticket with the Virtual Support Center or email ncvpsinfo@ncpublicschools.org.
Looking for additional support? Visit the Building Your Partnership with NCVPS page to discover ways NCVPS can extend school teams’ capabilities, expand course offerings and strengthen student outcomes.
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Number 5
North Carolina Competency-Based Education (CBE) Innovation Grant Program Accepting Applications
NCDPI is launching the North Carolina Competency-Based Education (CBE) Innovation Grant Program, a multi-year initiative to help schools reimagine teaching, learning and assessment. Ten North Carolina schools will each receive $330,000 to plan and implement competency-based education models focused on student mastery, personalized learning and innovative assessment.
The initiative focuses on four key areas: redesigning learning pathways, innovating assessment practices, building educator capacity and developing promising practices that can help expand competency-based education across North Carolina.
Participating schools will use $95,000 each applicable school year for CBE implementation training, with remaining funds available to support transition costs such as travel and CBE resources.
Learn more and review application materials here. Applications are due Oct. 18 by 5 p.m.
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Number 4
EdNC: "‘How Far We Have Come’: An Update on Districts with Schools Damaged by Hurricane Helene 2 Years Later"
"In the two years since Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina, communities and schools have been rebuilding. The storm brought record-breaking rainfall, and four school districts in Henderson, McDowell, Watauga, and Yancey counties sustained major damage to their buildings.
EdNC spoke with each school district’s superintendent to revisit the past, hear about the present, and see what they are most looking forward to in the future ahead of the anniversary."
Read the full feature story here.
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Number 3
District Highlight: Hickory City Schools - Hickory High School Automotive Teacher Winner of 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence
"Congratulations to Terry Drum, automotive teacher at Hickory High School, who was surprised this morning as a $75,000 winner of the 2026 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence!
The $75,000 award will benefit Mr. Drum and Hickory High School’s automotive program, supporting skilled trades education and opportunities for students.
This prestigious national honor recognizes outstanding public high school skilled trades teachers. Mr. Drum was selected as one of just 25 winners nationwide — and the only winner from North Carolina.
Throughout the rigorous selection process, Mr. Drum shared his commitment to giving students opportunities to problem-solve, troubleshoot, learn from mistakes, and develop the confidence and independence they need to succeed in the automotive industry and beyond.
We are incredibly proud to see Mr. Drum’s dedication to his students and skilled trades education recognized on a national level. Congratulations, Mr. Drum!"
See photos from the award celebration here.
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Number 2
NCDPI Celebrate the Good Blog: "Following Significant Improvement Toward Chronic Absenteeism, Northwest Elementary School was Identified as an Attendance Bright Spot by N.C. Department of Public Instruction"
"With almost any effort, it has long been said that showing up is half the battle. Whether we’re talking about an exercise or gym routine, starting a new project or simply being present in the classroom, ready to learn. Consistent school attendance helps develop foundational skills, boosts engagement and builds on academic achievement, leading to higher graduation rates. Declared Attendance Awareness Month by North Carolina Governor Josh Stein, September highlights the critical importance of having students in their seats, solidifying the crucial role attendance plays in achieving academic success. Missing a few days early in the school year can quickly translate into chronic absenteeism by the end of the school year.
Typically defined as missing 10% or more of school days over the course of a year, regardless of whether excused or unexcused, chronic absenteeism is one of the clearest, most actionable indicators that students are not fully accessing the learning resources and support schools provide. Before a solution can be identified and implemented, the issue must be clearly addressed.
'Since the pandemic, we’ve seen students having more difficulty transitioning into school,” said Taimak Willis, principal of Northwest Elementary School. “The school must determine what is really happening. You can’t solve the problem until you understand it. Relationships make it possible for families to explain why the student is not attending, and the team can then respond to the actual cause.”
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Number 1
NCDPI’s Innovation Leadership Council Met for Inaugural Convening
"The Innovation Leadership Council (ILC) met for its inaugural convening to help shape a statewide approach of identifying and scaling promising practices, as outlined in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) Strategic Plan, Achieving Educational Excellence. The 25-member council is a statewide, cross-sector advisory council established to help identify, evaluate, elevate and scale classroom, school and district approaches with evidence they improve outcomes across North Carolina public schools.
Selected from nearly 400 applicants, the council represents all eight State Board of Education (SBE) regions and brings together educators and leaders from traditional public school districts and schools, charter schools, lab schools, higher education and research. Members serve communities spanning rural, suburban, urban and regional contexts across the state.
Under Pillar 6 of Achieving Educational Excellence, Lead Transformative Change, the plan calls for creating a cross-sector innovation leadership council, establishing a structured process for identifying and evaluating innovative practices and publishing an annual collection of effective and innovative practices."
Read the full press release here.
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