RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina has set its sights on an ambitious goal: becoming the nation’s leader in public education by 2030. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and State Board of Education (SBE) have jointly launched “Achieving Educational Excellence,” a comprehensive strategic plan that marks the first collaborative initiative between the two entities in more than ten years.
The plan received unanimous approval from the State Board of Education during its August meeting, signaling strong institutional support for the transformative vision.
Comprehensive Vision Built on Statewide Input
State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green celebrated the plan’s launch at events held at Wake County public schools, welcoming state dignitaries, community members, and media. The strategic plan emerged from extensive statewide engagement, including Green’s “Mo Wants to Know” listening tour that gathered input from educators, parents, and students across all 100 North Carolina counties.
“This is a bold plan that matches North Carolina’s potential to have the best public schools in the country,” Green said. “We created this strategic plan after crossing the state listening to parents, students and educators about their hopes and dreams for education.”
Eight Pillars for Transformation
The strategic framework is built on eight core pillars designed to address critical areas throughout the education system:
- Prepare Each Student for Their Next Phase in Life
- Revere Public School Educators
- Enhance Parent, Caregiver and Community Support
- Ensure Healthy, Safe and Secure Learning Environments
- Optimize Operational Excellence
- Lead Transformative Change
- Celebrate the Excellence in Public Education
- Galvanize Champions to Fully Invest in and Support Public Education
Key Initiatives and Investments
The plan includes several major initiatives designed to drive measurable improvement:
- $25 million Golden LEAF Foundation investment to transform mathematics instruction in rural middle schools
- NC College Connect program guaranteeing college admission for students maintaining a 2.8 GPA or higher
- Expanded mental health support including Youth Mental Health First Aid training
- Statewide reading campaign with a goal of 10 million books read annually
- Development of an endowment to provide two years of tuition-free postsecondary education
Ambitious Performance Targets
The strategic plan establishes clear, measurable benchmarks for success by 2030:
- Achieve a 92% graduation rate
- Increase average ACT scores to 20
- Lead the nation in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores
Progress will be monitored through quarterly public reports and an annual Excellence Report Card to ensure transparency and accountability.
Strong Leadership Support
State Board Chairman Eric Davis emphasized the collective commitment required for success. “We will achieve educational excellence — not because it’s easy, but because it is hard,” Davis said. “We do our best when we do hard things together, and our students deserve nothing less.”
Governor Josh Stein expressed strong support for the initiative, highlighting the scope of North Carolina’s public education system. “North Carolina public schools open doors of opportunity for 1.5 million students,” Stein said. “This strategic plan sets a bold and ambitious vision for our schools to be the very best in the nation.”
Implementation and Accountability Structure
To ensure successful execution, NCDPI will establish an Office of Strategic Planning to oversee implementation and create a Strategic Plan Monitoring and Accountability Committee to track progress. The plan will undergo annual reviews and adjustments based on data and outcomes.
The development process involved eight regional listening sessions, more than 30 stakeholder meetings, dozens of school visits, and input from thousands of participants representing educators, students, parents, business leaders, and community members.
System Overview
North Carolina’s public education system serves approximately 1.5 million students across 2,683 public schools, representing 84% of the state’s school-aged children. The state already leads the nation with nearly 25,000 National Board Certified Teachers and has gained recognition for educational innovations, including one of the top early college programs in the country.
Community Engagement
The complete strategic plan, “Achieving Educational Excellence: 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for North Carolina Public Schools,” is available at go.ncdpi.gov/bestinnation. Community members are encouraged to become Public School Champions and participate in upcoming regional forums throughout the fall.
Superintendent Green plans to host regional events across the state to provide opportunities for public engagement and education about the plan’s implementation and community involvement opportunities.
