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(Carolina Journal) — Children in grades K-3 in North Carolina have surpassed the rest of the nation when it comes to their early-literacy skills. That’s according to N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt, who shared the news at Tuesday’s Council of State meeting. The results were based on a reading diagnostic test given in all 50 states. “This is due to the incredibly hard work of our K-3 teachers who have been undergoing a very intense 18-month professional development, referred to as Letters Training, that is essentially a return to a phonics-based approach to early literacy instruction,” she said. “This is a topic that is being discussed nationally, as 20 states right now have passed legislation, on the heels of Mississippi and North Carolina, to require some kind of curriculum mandate. In the case of North Carolina, a professional development mandate to ensure that our students are learning how…
Read More(The Center Square) – North Carolina Superintendent Catherine Truitt is formally opposing proposed federal Title IX regulations for transgender athletes, arguing they undermine the intent of the law. The U.S. Department of Education is collecting public comment through May 15 on a proposed revision to Title IX that would ban schools policies that prohibit transgender students from participating on sports teams aligned with their gender identity. The proposed rule comes as lawmakers in North Carolina and elsewhere are pursuing legislation to protect the integrity of women’s sports by requiring participation based on biological sex at birth. Violations of Title IX law can result in withholding of federal funds, which accounted for 15.7%, or more than $1 billion of the North Carolina public school budget in 2022-23, not including COVID-19 and child nutrition funds. In a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Truitt said the proposed rule “would undermine the intent of…
Read Moreby Theresa Opeka, The Carolina Journal According to Catherine Truitt, N.C. superintendent of Public Instruction, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to underscore the limited nature of North Carolina’s accountability on public schools. She spoke about the challenges students still face and what is being done to fix the problems at Tuesday’s Council of State meeting. Truitt said many schools in the state are still dealing with being designated, both on a federal and state level, as low performing due to poor end-of-grade testing during school closures that occurred during the pandemic. READ MORE
Read MoreBy A.P. Dillon, North State Journal On June 14, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt announced the names of the 48 members chosen to serve on her Parent Advisory Commission. “This Commission is focused on giving parents a seat at the table and strengthening parent and family involvement in education,” Truitt said in a press release. “This commission is a consistent and routine way to ensure we are addressing challenges and improving outcomes for all of North Carolina’s students using feedback from those who know students best,” said Truitt. “I know they will come prepared to represent their unique students, who hail from all different backgrounds, by providing their insights, experiences, and perspectives on various aspects of K-12 education and student well-being.” North State Journal first broke the news of Truitt’s plan to form a parent council in December 2021. Each of the state’s eight educational regions will have six…
Read MoreProject-based learning, new school accountability metrics, personalized school counseling and working toward a career in high school. Those are things North Carolina Superintendent Catherine Truitt and state Chamber of Commerce President Gary Salamido said Wednesday the Tar Heel State needs more of. Click here to read more.
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