Friday, October 9, 2026
Highlights
Decode TheVote | Voter Guide Reviewed October 7, 2026
Every name on your North Carolina general-election ballot — who they are, what they have done, and where they stand. Built from public records, with a source on every claim.
Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026
NC Early Voting Sites - You can only vote in the county in which you are registered.
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NC Political News | October 5, 2026
North Carolina has received $45.2 million from Meta, the first installment of a child-safety settlement that is expected to bring the state at least $451 million through 2035.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office said Thursday that the exact first payment was $45,167,732. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is scheduled to make nine additional payments, with the next installment due Jan. 15, 2027.
The settlement guarantees North Carolina at least $451 million and could bring as much as $645 million. NC Newsline reported that the additional $194 million depends on other major social media companies, including YouTube and TikTok, agreeing to child-safety measures.
NCDPI Press Release | October 5, 2026
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has been awarded a $7.5 million, five-year Project AWARE grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to strengthen school behavioral health systems and expand access to mental health supports for students.
The 2026–2031 award will bring Project AWARE Cohort 3 to Ashe County Schools, Carteret County Public Schools and Person County Schools. The initiative will support comprehensive, three-tiered school behavioral health systems focused on prevention and early intervention, access to treatment, crisis response, workforce development, family and youth engagement, and partnerships with community behavioral health providers.
The Carolina Journal - John Hood | October 5, 2026
The North Carolina General Assembly approved substantial pay increases for public school teachers earlier this year. If a bipartisan commission has its way, teacher compensation will soar over the next few years, as well. Fiscal conservatives should welcome these developments — so long as schools use higher pay as a means of attracting and retaining highly effective teachers, not of scoring political points or placating interest groups.
The Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education, co-chaired by Sampson County business owner and philanthropist Anne Faircloth and former Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools superintendent Don Martin, is recommending that by 2028 North Carolina become “a regional leader” in teacher pay (not just on starting salaries), a move that commission member Brenda Berg of BEST NC estimated might consume $3 billion a year in taxpayer funds.
I also think legislators, commissioners, and other policymakers should peruse a new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality chronicling best practices in teacher compensation across the United States.
The report offers three broad recommendations: 1) states should offer at least a 7.5% annual salary supplement (approximately $5,000) for teachers working in hard-to-staff subjects such as math or science and hard-to-staff schools with high poverty rates or discipline problems; 2) states should reward high-performing teachers based on transparent and rigorous evaluation criteria, not just seniority or credentials; and 3) states should reform their funding systems to incentivize practices strongly correlated with student achievement.
The NCTQ report encouraged North Carolina to increase our salary supplements for hard-to-staff subjects and hard-to-staff schools. Another approach to differentiated pay worth pursuing is to expand North Carolina’s existing program for advanced teaching roles, such as instructing more students or training and mentoring other teachers.
November State Board of Education Meeting
- Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 10 a.m.
- Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 9 a.m.
NC State Board of Education in the News:
EdNC - Molly Steur | October 2, 2026
The State Board of Education met last week for its biannual planning and work session, discussing potential items to add to a legislative agenda for the upcoming long session of the General Assembly, which starts in January 2027.
- Update on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
- A new model for Educator Preparation Programs
- Report on Advanced Teacher Roles Programs
- Updates to student performance data
- Recommendations on grants and reimbursements
- Device refresh, new math standards, paid parental leave, and more
The Carolina Journal - David N. Bass | October 5, 2026
More than half of North Carolina public school units don’t have enough money to replace the laptops they bought with federal COVID funds, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) told the State Board of Education Oct. 1. To solve the ongoing problem, DPI recommended that the state pay for a recurring replacement cycle.
Public school units had 2.16 million student, staff, and instructional devices in service in 2025-26, according to the report. They reported 311,436 repairs, or 14.38% of devices. Of the 323 public school units that reported, 174, or 53.9%, said they do not have enough money to keep up with device replacement.
Access all YouTube recordings of SBE meetings here.
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Celebrate the Good in Public Education
Image: Pender County Schools - 2027 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year - Dr. Brad Breedlove
Pender County Schools - Bob Fankboner | October 8, 2026
For the first time in Pender County Schools history, its superintendent has been named the best in North Carolina.
Dr. Brad Breedlove was named the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2027 A. Craig Phillips North Carolina Superintendent of the Year during a ceremony at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro on Thursday.
Sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Scholastic Education, the award is presented to the top North Carolina superintendent who exhibits outstanding leadership in service to the state's K-12 public schools. As the 2027 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year, Breedlove will now represent the state in the 2027 National Superintendent of the Year competition.
Even with the statewide recognition, his message Thursday remained focused close to home, on the students, staff and families of Pender County Schools who helped make the honor possible.
Legislative Lookback: Week of October 5, 2026
The North Carolina General Assembly convened in a special session on Wednesday, October 7, to consider and pass the Relief at the Pump legislation. The bill would immediately suspend the state motor fuel tax through November 30, 2026, providing temporary relief from fuel costs for North Carolina drivers. Read the bill text here and view the bill summary here.
Note: Schools are exempt from the gas tax [§ 105‑449.88. Exemptions from the excise tax].
A Look Ahead: Adjournment until October 26
Pursuant to SJR 1091, the House and Senate may reconvene on the following dates:
- October 26-28
- November 16-19
- November 30-December 18
Items eligible for consideration include: veto override votes, appointment and confirmation matters, election law issues, litigation-related actions, impeachment proceedings, constitutional amendments, simple resolutions, conference reports, and resolutions to further adjourn the legislative session.
The NCGA legislative calendar is updated frequently, so be sure to check the NCGA Homepage for the most up-to-date information on committee meetings, voting sessions, press conferences, and more. Current Legislative Calendar
K-12 Education Bills
Education Bills to Watch
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HB 171 Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI.
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HB 301 Social Media & AI Safety.
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HB 832 Education Omnibus.
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SB 69 Various Local Provisions V.
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SB 177 Continuing Budget Adjustments.
Reminder: Bills ≠ Laws
Only a few dozen bills typically make it “across the finish line” and become law each legislative session.
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