NCDPI releases 5-year plan for public education, but critics have questions

North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction unveiled a new comprehensive five-year strategic plan on Aug. 20, aimed at improving the state’s public education system. The plan received approval from the State Board of Education on Aug. 14 and introduces specific, measurable goals for 2026, 2027, and 2030.

The plan was developed with input from thousands of educators, parents, students, and community members gathered through Superintendent Mo Green’s “Mo Wants to Know” listening tour, according to a statement from NCDPI. It outlines eight key pillars to guide reforms, including preparing students for post-secondary pathways, supporting educators, and strengthening community involvement.

“This plan is both a commitment and a call to action — to prepare each student for their next phase in life, to elevate and revere our educators, to strengthen family and community partnerships and to ensure that our schools are safe, healthy and inclusive spaces for all,” said Green and State Board of Education Chairman Eric Davis in the introduction to the plan.

The plan sets forth several target metrics designed to evaluate progress toward the initiatives:

• A four-year graduation rate of 92%, up from 86.9%

• An average ACT score of 20, increased from 18.5

• 30% participation in Advanced Placement (AP) courses among high school students, an increase from 21.5%

• 41% engagement in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, up from 36.1%

• 89% of school-aged children enrolled in public schools, up from 84%

• 41% of students participating in dual enrollment courses, up from 36%

Additional objectives include increasing participation in character education, leading Southeastern states in educator compensation, and achieving national recognition in reading and math scores.

The eight pillars of action include:

• Preparing students for subsequent education or careers
• Recognizing and supporting educators
• Enhancing community and family support
• Ensuring safe and healthy school environments
• Improving operational efficiency within schools
• Leading systemic change in education
• Recognizing excellence across public education
• Engaging stakeholders to fully support and invest in schools

During the event launching the plan on Aug. 20, Green, a Democrat, said the goal is by 2030 to have “the very best public education system in the entire nation … we are going to lead in the nation in the way that we talk about our educators. We revere our educators. This is a higher word than respect. We revere those who make all of this learning possible.”

Gov. Josh Stein, also a Democrat, issued a statement supporting the plan. He noted that North Carolina’s public schools serve approximately 1.5 million students and said the plan “sets a bold and ambitious vision for our schools to be the very best in the nation.” 

But critics raise questions about accountability and the emphasis within the plan. Dr. Robert Luebke, director of the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation, questioned the focus on academic achievement. 

“If we are to glean the guts of the plan from the eight pillars, I’m not encouraged,” Luebke said. “Where is the emphasis on academic excellence? The topic is not even specifically mentioned in any of the eight pillars. Another plan to make North Carolina the best in the nation is not news. Yes, it’s laudable to aim high. My question: Where is the accountability for past plans, and past failures? Has the State Board of Education or NCDPI paid a price for missing goals? A plan for correcting those oversights might be a good place to start.”

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