Hannah McClellan

EducationNC • 19th May 2023

Surry County's Donna Bledsoe named N.C.’s 2023 Principal of the Year

Surry County’s Donna Bledsoe, who strives to “find the joy” in each and every school day, was named the 2023 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year on Friday. Since stepping into the role at Cedar Ridge Elementary in 2016, colleagues say...

EducationNC • 17th May 2023

Public education takes hit in Senate budget

The Republican-led Senate released its budget proposal for the next two years on Monday, and the items included suggest that public education is not a priority. “As many of you know, school choice has been a core priority for the Republican General...

EducationNC • 12th May 2023

Which N.C. education bills are still in play this legislative session?

More than 100 education-related bills made last week’s crossover deadline, meaning those bills passed at least one chamber in the General Assembly by May 4. In general, bills must meet the crossover deadline in order to stay alive. However, bills...

EducationNC • 9th May 2023

myFutureNC celebrates four years of work toward education attainment goal

Four years ago, myFutureNC officially became a nonprofit – following the myFutureNC Commission’s Call to Action for a statewide attainment goal of 2 million North Carolinians aged 25-44 with a degree or credential by 2030. On Monday, the statewide...

EducationNC • 8th May 2023

State Board of Education continues discussions on school accountability and safety

The State Board of Education continued its work on new measures of school accountability, safety initiatives in schools, and educator preparation at its biannual planning session and monthly meeting last week at UNC-Charlotte. The board’s work...

EducationNC • 28th April 2023

Ahead of crossover, a look at education bills at the General Assembly

With the May 4 crossover deadline less than a week away, the General Assembly began its push on Thursday to get bills through at least one legislative chamber before the deadline. Between them, the House and Senate passed 29 bills by lunchtime on...

EducationNC • 26th April 2023

Bill expanding N.C. private school vouchers to all students moves forward in Senate

A bill that would dramatically expand the Opportunity Scholarship program to all students regardless of their family’s income moved forward in the Senate on Wednesday. The chamber’s committee on education gave the bill a favorable report. Next, the...

26th April 2023

300+ faith leaders urge NC Gov. Cooper to commute all 137 death sentences

Happy Wednesday! Thanks for reading the 20th edition of North Carolina Religion Roundup, a newsletter that highlights major religion news and trends in the Triangle and greater NC. I’m a reporter at EducationNC, where I recently started a new role...

EducationNC • 21st April 2023

A look at the education bills filed at the General Assembly so far this month

It’s been a busy week at the General Assembly. On Tuesday alone, the House filed 163 bills – many of them education related. Several of those bills involve the expansion of school choice. As EdNC previously reported, many of the bills could pose a...

EducationNC • 19th April 2023

Bill proposing governance overhaul of community college system moves forward

As the N.C. Community College System (NCCCS) finalizes its search for a new system president, the Senate’s higher education committee gave a favorable report to a bill that would overhaul governance within the system. Among other things, Senate Bill...

EducationNC • 18th April 2023

North Carolina is on track with pandemic learning recovery, DPI says

North Carolina students made significant strides in pandemic recovery during the 2021-22 school year, the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) Dr. Jeni Corn told lawmakers on Tuesday. Corn, the director of research and evaluation in DPI’s Office...

EducationNC • 14th April 2023

Kimberly Jones of Chapel Hill named N.C.'s 2023 Teacher of the Year

Chapel Hill High School’s veteran English teacher Kimberly Jones, known among colleagues for her leadership and vision for equity, was named the 2023 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year at a ceremony in Cary on Friday. Jones is...

EducationNC • 11th April 2023

Community colleges focus on trying to increase enrollment, which largely determines funding

Enrollment trends for community colleges in North Carolina and nationally are headed in the right direction, but in most cases colleges have not caught up to pre-pandemic levels – much less pre-Great Recession numbers. State funding is largely tied...

EducationNC • 6th April 2023

State Board of Education discusses school safety, literacy, and teacher prep

State Board of Education members discussed the urgency of increasing school safety in response to gun violence at their April meeting this week, with members suggesting a variety of solutions. There were 51 school shootings with injuries or deaths...

EducationNC • 5th April 2023

K-3 students show growth in literacy skills, mid-year DPI data show

More K-3 students are on track when it comes to gaining literacy skills, according to new data from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) during the first full year of implementation of the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021. On Wednesday,...

EducationNC • 3rd April 2023

N.C. Community College legislative day focuses on building workforce, relationships

Hundreds of community college stakeholders from across the state gathered on Wednesday for N.C. Community College Legislative Day, where a group of lawmakers emphasized the importance of colleges building stronger workforces and relationships. “I...

EducationNC • 30th March 2023

House budget proposal: 7.50% pay raises for teachers, master's pay reinstated

The House dropped its spending plan for the biennium during a press conference Wednesday. The proposal includes 7.50% across-the-board pay raises for teachers over the biennium and $70 million additional dollars for a program that helps districts...

EducationNC • 24th March 2023

Why adult learners persist, and how colleges can engage them

Despite many barriers, adult learners primarily persist to increase their earning power or workplace advancement and for personal fulfillment, according to Dr. Matt Bergman, a University of Louisville professor of educational leadership and co-author...

EducationNC • 24th March 2023

Reimagining access and engagement at N.C. community colleges

From fall 2012 to fall 2022, college student enrollment dropped by about 1.9 million students – almost 10%. College enrollment has been declining since 2010 – due to factors like falling birth rates and rising college tuition, among others. Such...

EducationNC • 24th March 2023

What are the 'gale-force demographic wind gusts' facing North Carolina?

The multiple factors leading to slowing total population growth across the U.S. will impact the future of higher education, UNC-Chapel Hill’s Dr. Jim Johnson told N.C. community college leaders at a convening on adult learners last week. Johnson is...