State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mo Green (Courtesy photo)
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction on Wednesday announced a $25 million initiative aimed at improving student achievement in rural and economically distressed communities across the state. Funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, the grant is one of the largest governmental gifts the agency has received, according to DPI officials.
“This is a game-changer for North Carolina,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green said during a brief speech to the state board of education.
“It is an important step towards achieving the vision for North Carolina’s public schools, which is ensuring that every child in North Carolina public schools achieves educational excellence, ” Green said. “In order for North Carolina’s public schools to become the best in the country, we must rethink how we approach teaching and learning, and we must provide our schools with the appropriate support to do so.”
The Golden LEAF Schools initiative is a five-year program aimed at improving education by focusing on school culture, teaching practices, math instruction and career readiness. Twenty middle schools across the state will be selected to participate in the program, divided into two cohorts: a “Transformative Schools” cohort consisting of 10 low-performing schools focused on school turnaround, math instruction, and career development; and a “Personalized Competency-Based Education” a cohort of 10 schools with existing strong programs aimed at moving towards a more student-centered learning model, according to a presentation by Dr. Andrew Smith, Deputy Superintendent Office of Innovation.
“This initiative not only addresses immediate educational needs but also sets a precedent for future scalability and success,” said Scott Hamilton, President of the Golden LEAF Foundation. “We look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on students, educators and communities across North Carolina.”
At the core of the Golden LEAF Schools initiative is the Marzano High Reliability Schools framework, a research-based model that guides schools through a step-by-step process of improvement.
The HRS framework consists of five progressive levels, beginning with building a safe and supportive environment and progressing to effective teaching and a guaranteed, viable curriculum. “This is not just about instructional practices and behavior management,” said Smith. “It’s also about things like school functioning, culture, instruction, curriculum, assessment, and leadership.”
The State Board of Education will vote on two contracts and a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support the grant on Thursday. Eligible schools can apply for the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative beginning January 13, 2025, with a deadline of March 21, 2025.
All participating schools must be located in rural counties with persistent Tier 1 or Tier 2 economic status.
“Programs like the Golden LEAF Foundation Schools Initiative are important in advancing the State Board of Education’s goal of providing every child in North Carolina with the opportunity to succeed academically,” said Eric Davis, chairman of the State Board of Education. “To truly transform our public schools, we must embrace innovative strategies that lead to better outcomes for all students.”
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers.