Our top higher-education stories of 2018 fell into several broad categories: LEADERSHIP/GOVERNANCE The year saw large questions of leadership and governance raised but not always answered. In May, the NC Board of Community Colleges named Peter Hans – a former board member with extensive experience in both community colleges and universities – as the new… READ MORE
Pre-K
RALEIGH – Make no mistake, quality pre-kindergarten matters to higher education – it has implications for third-grade reading proficiency, eighth-grade math1 and placing students on a trajectory that leads to a degree and a well-paying job. After launching its NC Pre-K program in 2001, North Carolina grew enrollment to 22% of its 4-year-olds over the… READ MORE
K-12: Progress, but a long way to go
RALEIGH – North Carolina’s spending on K-12 public education took a hit during and after the Great Recession – and it still hasn’t fully recovered. Compared with its neighbors, North Carolina’s spending per student ranked 8th of 11 Southeastern states in 2017-18.1 North Carolina both lags adjacent states – trailing South Carolina by $2,385 per… READ MORE
K-12 teacher pay: A widening gap?
RALEIGH – A major component in education spending, of course, is teacher pay. A quality teacher can make an enormous difference in a child’s future. North Carolina’s rank in K-12 teacher peaked in 2001, when the state’s average teacher salary reached a rank of 19th in the nation. In 2000-01, the average salary for North… READ MORE
Margaret Spellings: Accomplishments and challenges
CHAPEL HILL – As she prepares to depart next month as President of the University of North Carolina System, Margaret Spellings can point to both accomplishments and challenges during her three years in the job. “I’m proudest of the strategic plan that we put in place,” Spellings says in the accompanying video. The plan –… READ MORE
UNC System hits 70% graduation rate
CHAPEL HILL – Just one year into implementation of its Higher Expectations strategic plan, the University of North Carolina System has already exceeded its five-year goal for improving graduation rates. While many who attended the UNC Board of Governors’ meeting last week were focused on machinations over the Silent Sam Confederate monument, UNC President Margaret… READ MORE
BOG buys time for a Silent Sam solution
CHAPEL HILL – Given the many factors involved – safety, cost, emotions and the law – the UNC Board of Governors made a reasonable call last week to put off a decision about the Silent Sam Confederate monument at UNC Chapel Hill and work toward the right solution.1 “The goal here is nothing less than… READ MORE
A heartfelt thank-you for Margaret Spellings
CHAPEL HILL – A former president of the United States, two governors, a State House speaker and a former UNC president all took time Wednesday evening to thank President Margaret Spellings for leading the University of North Carolina System. As Spellings prepares to leave the University after three years as president, Higher Education Works sponsored… READ MORE
A university with its hands tied
CHAPEL HILL – Hardly anyone seems satisfied with a plan UNC-Chapel Hill officials unveiled Monday to move the Silent Sam Confederate memorial to a new history center the University has contemplated since 2015.1 But Chancellor Carol Folt and the University’s Board of Trustees have largely had their hands tied by a state law that places… READ MORE
Hans: Maintaining community college access ‘a great thing’
RALEIGH – As more and more communities recognize the necessity of education beyond high school, more and more are trying to make that education accessible by offering tuition-free community college. Tennessee led the way with Tennessee Promise – a last-dollar scholarship that covers the cost of community-college tuition and fees that aren’t covered by Pell Grants,… READ MORE
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