Hannah Vinueza McClellan

EdNC • 23rd May 2026

Community colleges ask lawmakers to fund Propel NC

Welcome to Awake58 — a weekly newsletter where you’ll find the latest updates on community college related news and events around the state. Plus, a look at what’s trending nationally in higher education. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign...

EdNC • 15th May 2026

Meet Mariah Walker, the 2026 Principal of the Year, 'whose dedication is helping shape stronger futures for students'

Mariah Walker, principal of Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy (WYWLA), was named the 2026 Wells Fargo Principal of the Year during a ceremony in Cary on Friday. Over the past two decades, Walker — a Raleigh native — has worked at nearly every...

EdNC • 13th May 2026

Since voucher expansion, new report estimates cumulative financial impact on public schools at $35 million

During a State Board of Education meeting last week, Board members discussed data showing how many recipients of private school vouchers previously attended public schools in North Carolina and estimates of the cumulative financial impact on public...

EdNC • 11th May 2026

DPI report shows 11.5% of students with vouchers previously attended public schools

During the State Board of Education’s meeting on Thursday, Board members discussed updated data showing how many recipients of private school vouchers previously attended public schools in North Carolina. According to the new report, 12,252 of...

EdNC • 6th May 2026

State, national leaders celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week

State and national leaders are joining the celebration for this year’s national Teacher Appreciation Week. Gov. Josh Stein issued a press release and video thanking the state’s teachers for their commitment to their students. ...

EdNC • 1st May 2026

NC teachers march for higher pay and increased funding for public schools

Editor’s note: This article was updated throughout the day on Friday, based on reporting from EdNC team members present at the march. Thousands of educators and advocates across the state gathered in Raleigh at the Halifax Mall on Friday morning...

EdNC • 28th April 2026

Legislative preview | Teacher pay, school choice and funding, and more K-12 issues on the table this short session

What other K-12 issues are you paying attention to? Email me at hmcclellan@ednc.org to let me know. In North Carolina, this year’s legislative session started last week — and it is not going to be a normal short session. Last year, during the...

EdNC • 25th March 2026

NC forecasts budget surplus, but warns tax cuts could impact future revenue

The state’s nonpartisan Consensus Forecasting Group (CFG) released a revised consensus General Fund Revenue forecast for the 2025-27 biennium on Tuesday, predicting expected overcollections over the next two years.  According to the consensus,...

EdNC • 12th March 2026

DPI releases ‘Highlights’ on 2025-26 budget for NC public schools

North Carolina public schools received $12.75 billion in state funding and $1.1 billion in federal funding during the 2025-26 school year — excluding child nutrition and the last of federal relief funds — according to the Department of Public...

EdNC • 10th March 2026

Department of Education opens 30-day public comment period for proposed Workforce Pell rules

Editor’s note: On March 13, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) released its analysis of the proposed regulations for Workforce Pell. AACC will also submit formal comments and “urges AACC-member institutions to engage in the...

EdNC • 9th March 2026

Gov. Stein's $1.4 billion budget proposal includes funds for Medicaid, 5.8% average raise for teachers

Gov. Josh Stein announced a “critical needs budget” proposal on Monday, calling, among other things, for raises for teachers and state employees, $319 million to fully fund Medicaid after federal funding cuts, and funds to raise the state’s subsidy...

EdNC • 16th February 2026

EdNC’s Hurricane Helene Playbook: The role of faith and faith institutions after disaster

Editor’s note: This article is part of EdNC’s playbook on Hurricane Helene. Other articles in the playbook are available here. Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. The next day, Denise Teague went to Clyde Central...

EdNC • 5th February 2026

Report shows decrease in crimes and suspensions in NC schools. Here's what else you need to know

Reports of crime and violence in North Carolina public schools decreased during the 2024-25 school year for the second consecutive year, according to an annual report from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) presented to the State Board of...

EdNC • 8th January 2026

Federal health officials update child immunization schedule, reducing number of recommended vaccines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the U.S. childhood immunization schedule this week, reducing the number of routine recommended vaccines for all children from 17 to 11. The move followed an announcement of the...

EdNC • 5th December 2025

State Health Plan on track to see surplus through 2027 following benefit changes and premium increases

During its last meeting of the year, the State Health Plan (SHP) Board of Trustees discussed on Friday data from the open enrollment period, various benefit updates, and a status report on the plan’s financial footing following a series of changes...

EdNC • 20th November 2025

U.S. Department of Education moves many programs to other agencies 'to break up federal bureaucracy'

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) announced on Tuesday six new interagency agreements (IAAs) with four federal agencies “to break up the federal education bureaucracy, ensure efficient delivery of funded programs, activities, and move closer to...

EdNC • 13th November 2025

As State Board starts task force on school performance grades, a look at reform efforts up to now

At the State Board of Education’s November meeting last week, Chair Eric Davis released the membership for the newly created Task Force on Accountability for Public School Units. “The Task Force will design a next generation school accountability...

EdNC • 30th October 2025

Meet North Carolina's newest community college presidents

Welcome to Awake58 — a weekly newsletter where you’ll find the latest updates on community college related news and events around the state. Plus, a look at what’s trending nationally in higher education. If you’re new to Awake58, welcome! If you were...

EdNC • 23rd October 2025

How religious is North Carolina? Pew Center data gives insight

North Carolina is the seventh most religious state in the country, according to a data visualization tool released by the Pew Research Center last month. Each state’s religious profile, created from Pew’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, includes...

EdNC • 14th October 2025

A look at the Trump administration's changes to education policy for English learners, HSIs, and more

At the start of the school year, the U.S. Department of Justice said that it won’t defend Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) from a recent lawsuit filed by the State of Tennessee and the group Students for Fair Admissions. The suit says HSIs — which...