Raleigh, N.C. — On Thursday, Fifteen North Carolina middle schools have been selected to participate in the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative, a five-year, $25 million program designed to improve educational outcomes through innovative instructional strategies, with a particular focus on mathematics and career readiness.
The initiative, funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, is a collaborative effort involving the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), Marzano Resources, and local school districts. It aims to elevate academic performance and prepare students—particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged communities—for long-term success in college, careers, and civic life.
“The Golden LEAF Schools Initiative is a powerful first step toward our goal of ensuring that North Carolina’s public schools are the best in the nation,” said State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “By investing in middle school math instruction—especially in our rural and economically challenged communities—we are building a foundation that prepares every student for college, careers, and lifelong community engagement.”
The selected schools are organized into two cohorts:
- Transformative Schools (TS) Cohort, focused on schoolwide improvement through the implementation of the Marzano High Reliability Schools (HRS) Framework and the Open Up Resources Problem-Based Math Curriculum.
- Personalized, Competency-Based Education (PCBE) Cohort, targeting schools ready to shift toward Competency-Based Education (CBE), emphasizing personalized learning paths and mastery of content.
Transformative Schools Cohort includes:
- Bertie Middle School, Bertie County Schools
- Carver Middle School, Scotland County Schools
- Contentnea-Savannah K-8 School, Lenoir County Public Schools
- East Alexander Middle School, Alexander County Schools
- East Rutherford Middle School, Rutherford County Schools
- Harnett Central Middle School, Harnett County Schools
- Northern Middle School, Person County Schools
- Union Middle School, Sampson County Schools
- Warren County Middle School, Warren County Schools
- West Lee Middle School, Lee County Schools
Personalized, Competency-Based Education Cohort includes:
- Dunn Middle School, Harnett County Schools
- Hayesville Middle School, Clay County Schools
- Swain County Middle School, Swain County Schools
- SanLee Middle School, Lee County Schools
- Waynesville Middle School, Haywood County Schools
Selection followed a rigorous application process, including interviews with district and school leadership teams. Schools will receive intensive coaching, instructional resources, and targeted support in math and career readiness. Funding also includes allocations for staff stipends, bonuses, and travel related to professional development.
“Golden LEAF is proud to fund this bold, collaborative effort to improve student outcomes and build a stronger future for our state,” said Scott T. Hamilton, president and CEO of the Golden LEAF Foundation. “By investing in middle schools through research-based strategies and intensive support, we are not only strengthening academic achievement in critical areas like math but laying the groundwork for career readiness and long-term economic vitality in North Carolina’s rural communities.”
At the heart of the initiative is the Marzano HRS model, which provides a structured approach to fostering safe learning environments, promoting instructional excellence, and driving continuous school improvement through data-driven decision-making and collaboration.
About the Golden LEAF Foundation
Established in 1999, the Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to administer North Carolina’s share of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. For more than 25 years, the foundation has worked to expand economic opportunities in the state’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through strategic grantmaking, innovation, and long-term partnerships.
