In my first months on the job, I worked with the General Assembly and Governor’s office to pass SB 220, “The Reopen Our Schools Act.”

Proudly supported and helped in the drafting of the original HB 324 (Anti-CRT Bill).  Unfortunately, Gov. Cooper vetoed this legislation, but my department continues to ensure that we recognize the equality and rights of all persons.

Through our partnerships with the General Assembly, we continue to implement policies that ensure we are working towards a highly qualified teacher in every classroom across the state.

Proudly supported and worked with our General Assembly to ensure that school choice options continue to move forward in North Carolina and that parents are always put in positions to make the decisions that are best for their children. (2021 Budget)

2022 is the “Year of the Workforce” at my department.  We are working to ensure ALL North Carolina high school graduates are college and career ready with the skills necessary to succeed in our state and global economy.

With the passage of the “Excellent Public Schools Act” (SB 387) my department and I am leading the effort to train every single PreK-5^th grade teacher in a phonics-based approach through the “Science of Reading.”  This will be a game changer for public education and we expect to see immediate results for our students.

Expand the collaboration and partnerships between our schools and our four-year colleges, community colleges, the business community, hospitals, local workforce boards, and IT centers.

Elementary reading scores improve again in NC: Elementary school students are reading at a better level today than to a year ago, according to new data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Since the enactment of a standardized early literacy assessment beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, reading scores in NC for grades 1-3 have outpaced national peers by more than two-to-one, DPI reported. Read more.