Education Matters
Issues and developments in education
Latest stories
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MARY ANN WOLF: N.C. can and should be a leader in school nutrition
Monday, May 19, 2025 -- Feeding students well can improve educational outcomes while also stimulating rural economies. Students' well-being matters and school is where their full humanity is recognized and supported.
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MARY ANN WOLF: 'Community Connections - The power of rural schools and local businesses
Monday, April 21,2025 -- In rural North Carolina communities partnerships between local businesses and public schools benefit the entire community. Students gain access to new resources and opportunities, educators receive vital support and businesses become more deeply connected to the future.
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MARY ANN WOLF: New legislative session brings opportunity for public education
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 -- This legislative session is a chance to lay the groundwork for a public education system that serves all children, their families and communities. It's a chance to invest in our schools, honor our educators and prepare our students for successful lives within thriving communities.
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MARISA BRYANT: The cold truth about schools without heat
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 -- It is long past time to repair our schools, invest in our school systems' workforce and ensure every child has the opportunity to learn in a safe and warm environment. Anything less is unacceptable.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Beyond the 2024 elections
Monday, Dec. 2, 2024 -- With new terms around the corner, the incoming elected and incumbent officials have the opportunity to respond to what North Carolinians care about by increasing resources and support for local public schools so that they can better prepare our children for life.
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LAUREN FOX: Private school vouchers are unpopular, failed policy
Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 -- Rather than taking taxpayer dollars from already underfunded N.C. public schools and giving them to private and religious schools, let's ensure local public schools can hire more quality teachers, improve choice in classes and trade skills and modernize schools so all students have access to a high-quality education.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Local public schools are on the ballot in nearly every race
Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 -- We have significant work and opportunities ahead to ensure North Carolina public schools make it possible for every child to succeed in life. This election, vote for what is best for our children, our communities, and our state's future.
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ELIZABETH PAUL: Local public schools are vital to community resilience
Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 -- Public schools provide a space for bringing people together through sports, arts, and activities to build relationships across generations. In times of need, our public schools are resources and support for all students and families in the community.
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KIMBERLY JONES & DEANNA TOWNSEND-SMITH: Public schools are beacons of hope through crisis and devastation
Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 -- As the General Assembly returns to decide disaster relief, it has the ability to uphold its constitutional responsibility by not sending additional monies to support private school vouchers and instead provide the needed funding to support and rebuild our public schools that serve communities without hesitation.
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CHANTE RUSSELL: The election and N.C. public schools. Questions for voters to ask
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 -- While the enthusiasm surrounding presidential and top statewide candidates is evident, we cannot forget the importance of down-ballot elections. Here are some essential questions to ask yourself before selecting North Carolina's lawmakers:
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Editorial: Private school vouchers aren't blank checks. Accountability is a must.
Monday, July 8, 2024 -- Accountability and achievement are not simply to the parents of students. All taxpayers, who pay the tab, have a right to know their money is in the hands of competent and qualified people to deliver the services intended - educating school children.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Strengthen the educator pipeline with programs like NC Teaching Fellows
Monday, July 1, 2024 -- We owe it to our children to make sure they have everything they need to succeed, including well-equipped and supported educators.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Building relationships via 'Bring Your Legislator to School Day'
Monday, April 22, 2024 -- Allowing policymakers to experience the day-to-day reality of the state's elementary and secondary schools helps establish strong relationships between legislators and the communities they serve to foster collaboration, ensure transparency and consider diverse perspectives when crafting policies.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Education is on the ballot
Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 -- North Carolina is ranked at the bottom -- 49th this year -- for school funding efforts. That won't change unless we elect decision-makers who value and prioritize education as a public good essential to the continued progress of our communities.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Better support, resources make teachers even more effective
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 -- Teachers are the No. 1 school-related factor in student outcomes. Each teacher has the potential to impact hundreds of children throughout their career. We place high expectations on those educators but as a state, we have oftentimes failed to give them the resources needed to meet those expectations.
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DEANNA TOWNSEND-SMITH: Achieving equity in public education together
Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 -- As we work to protect and support each child it is important to elevate their experiences to help inform policy and practice. Representation matters as it instills aspiration. Students want and need to understand the past to continue the progress we have made as a nation.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Words of hope from N.C.'s teacher, principal and superintendent of the year
Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 -- What gives hope to our Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year and Superintendent of the Year.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Kids matter! Don't neglect N.C.'s public schools
Monday, Sept. 4, 2023 -- One of the most central purposes of our state government is to support a strong system of public schools to pave the way for a strong democracy, society, and economy. Yet over the past few months, we've heard proposed bills, recommended ideas and rhetoric that forgets and detracts from that purpose.
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MARY ANN WOLF: North Carolina has the money. Why shortchange public education?
Thursday, May 18, 2023 -- We have the money and we DO want it invested in our public schools. The 1.5 million public school students in our state deserve it.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Ask yourself these questions
Monday, May 8, 2023 -- Pay attention to what is happening before our eyes. It does not matter what party you are in or even who you voted for. The full impact of these proposed changes would be devastating. We would not have the democracy we cherish. We would not have the schools our kids and families deserve. We would not attract businesses to this state.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Making education engaging and responsive to today's students
Monday, March 6, 2023 -- We have made progress toward a more just and equitable world, but we still have much more work to do. Being willing to shift the way we educate our students and engage them more deeply in class content is a part of that work.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Words of hope From N.C.'s regional Teachers of the Year
Monday, Dec. 19, 2022 -- Each of the North Carolina Teachers of the Year definitely gives me hope. I am just so grateful to be able to spend this time with these Teachers of the Year and to share their messages, hopefully even further out into the world and across our state.
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NC BUSINESS LEADERS: Court must order state to fulfill Constitution's promise to NC children
Sunday, July 31, 2022 -- The right to education is unique among the rights guaranteed by the North Carolina Constitution's Declaration of Rights. Unlike other provisions in the Declaration, Article I, Section 15 does not content itself with declaring the right--it expressly imposes a duty on the State to protect it.("The people have a right to the privilege of education, and it is the duty of the State to guard and maintain that right.") That is exactly what the Court should do here,
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MARY ANN WOLF: Principals and the support they provide
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 -- Having a high-quality and well-prepared principal matters - for students, for teachers, and for communities. You can quickly see the impact of the principals' leadership when you walk into the building, and when you walk around with a principal who clearly knows every student by name and even from connections around activities or what is happening in their lives - it changes the school.
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MARY ANN WOLF: Finding the best for the teacher pipeline
Monday, April 25, 2022 -- We need to encourage more individuals to consider education for their careers. Our teacher pipeline has decreased significantly over the past decade, and across North Carolina we are experiencing a teacher shortage in almost all areas and grade levels.