Government & Legislative
Race to The Top
Perdue's Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! Funded by Race to the Top Grant Gov. Bev Perdue this week announced North Carolina will receive approximately $400 million in federal Race to the Top grant money. The award will fund continued implementation of Perdue’s Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! program, including:
• recruiting and retaining quality teachers and administrators,
• a comprehensive turnaround plan for low performing schools
• 21st century technology for assessing students’ needs
“North Carolina’s children today are one step closer to being guaranteed the best public education possible – something every child deserves. This grant will give us the resources to more aggressively implement our plan to ensure that all of our children graduate ready for a career, college or technical training,” said Gov. Perdue.
“It won’t matter where they live; it won’t matter what their school looks like; it won’t matter what their parents do for a living. What will matter is that North Carolina leaders have joined together to support the best and most innovative approaches to public education this state has seen in a decade. I thank Sec. Duncan for recognizing North Carolina’s ability to lead in education reform, and I thank everyone who worked so hard to make this possible,” said Perdue.
Gov. Perdue led the application process and the team that traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to interview with federal decision makers. Joining her were State Board of Education Chair Dr. Bill Harrison, State School Superintendent June Atkinson, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators Dr. Bill McNeal, and Executive Director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation Glenn Kleimann. Education leaders across the state stepped up with their support of the round two Race to the Top application, and the General Assembly passed legislation aimed at better arming local school districts to implement the plan.
Gov. Perdue Celebrates the First Day of School
Gov. Perdue on Wednesday marked the first day of school by visiting Wiley Elementary School in Raleigh. After visiting classrooms and talking with students and teachers, Gov. Perdue rode the school bus with some excited children.
Many Deserve Praise for Race to the Top Award
Blog by Gov. Perdue Yesterday’s announcement that North Carolina was awarded approximately $400 million by the federal education program “Race to the Top” was truly exciting because it brings today’s children one step closer to being guaranteed the best public education possible.
Perhaps the greatest lesson we should take out of this enormous win for our state was that we couldn’t have done it without the unprecedented teamwork we achieved in preparing our Race to the Top application.
One hundred percent of local education agencies (LEAs) signed on to our initial application. That means every superintendent, school board chair and president of the local teachers association (members of NCAE) are in agreement with our plans for education in North Carolina – the plans laid out in my Career and College—Ready, Set, Go! agenda.
Many state leaders signed letters of support on behalf of our state’s application. Education pioneers such as Gov. Jim Hunt and Judge Howard Manning stood behind our plans for North Carolina’s future.
And the General Assembly played a crucial role in yesterday’s victory. The House and Senate gave our Race to the Top application a great boost when they passed Senate Bill 704 to reform low-performing schools. That law strengthened North Carolina’s ability to make all schools successful and strengthened our school reform efforts, vital to the Race to the Top competition.
The teamwork we achieved is a tremendous sign of the commitment to education that state and local leaders share and I applaud such exemplary statewide collaboration. To all who played a part in our Race to the Top success, I say “thank you” and so do the students of North Carolina. Perdue Appoints Thigpen to NC Court of Appeals Gov. Bev Perdue on Monday appointed Special Superior Court Judge Cressie Thigpen to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Judge Thigpen, a distinguished jurist and former president of the N.C. State Bar, will fill the vacancy created by the recent confirmation of Judge Jim Wynn to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
“Judge Thigpen is extraordinarily well qualified for the appeals court,” Perdue said. “The high marks he has earned as a trial judge are a reflection of his legal skills, experience and his commitment to the law and public service.” Thigpen’s appointment will expire at the end of the year. Next week he plans to file as a candidate for election in November for an eight year term on the Court of Appeals beginning in January 2011.
Judge Thigpen was appointed as a special superior court judge in 2008 after more than three decades as a litigator in state and federal courts. He was a partner in the law firm now known as Blue, Stephens & Fellers. In addition to his 1999 election as president of the state bar – the first African-American to hold that post, Thigpen was inducted into the N.C. Bar Association General Practice Hall of Fame in 2007.
He recently served as chairman of the board of trustees of N.C. Central University, his alma mater, and has served on the board of trustees for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Judge Thigpen received his bachelor’s degree from NCCU in 1968 and his law degree from Rutgers University in 1973.
Governor's schedule for the coming week Saturday-
Monday, August 28-30 - Southern Governors' Association, Birmingham, Alabama
Tuesday, August 31 - Senior Staff Meeting- Leadership Academy Meeting, Rocky Mount
Wednesday, September 1- Office TimeThursday,
September 2- Office Time Friday,
September 3- Food Bank tour, Asheville - Cherokee Casino Ribbon Cutting, Cherokee
Press Release 8/24/2010
Contact: Chris Mackey
Raleigh (919) 733-5612
Perdue’s Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! Funded by Race to the Top Grant Governor Bev Perdue today announced North Carolina will receive approximately $400 million in federal Race to the Top grant money. The award will fund continued implementation of Perdue’s Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! program, including:
• recruiting and retaining quality teachers and administrators,
• a comprehensive turnaround plan for low performing schools, and
• 21st century technology for assessing students’ needs.
“North Carolina’s children today are one step closer to being guaranteed the best public education possible – something every child deserves. This grant will give us the resources to more aggressively implement our plan to ensure that all of our children graduate ready for a career, college or technical training,” said Gov. Perdue.
“It won’t matter where they live; it won’t matter what their school looks like; it won’t matter what their parents do for a living. What will matter is that North Carolina leaders have joined together to support the best and most innovative approaches to public education this state has seen in a decade. I thank Sec. Duncan for recognizing North Carolina’s ability to lead in education reform, and I thank everyone who worked so hard to make this possible,” said Perdue.
Gov. Perdue led the application process and the team that traveled to Washington, D.C., earlier this month to interview with federal decision makers. Joining her were State Board of Education Chair Dr. Bill Harrison, State School Superintendent June Atkinson, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of School Administrators Dr. Bill McNeal, and Executive Director of the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation Glenn Kleimann.
“This is an incredible opportunity for the boys and girls in North Carolina,” said Board Chairman Dr. Harrison. “It will allow us to accelerate implementation of the governor’s Career and College: Ready, Set, Go initiative. I appreciate the many supporters across the state who played such a vital role in crafting this winning proposal.” “This will allow North Carolina to continue the tradition of being a leader in public education,” said Superintendent Atkinson. “Through collaboration with state and local leaders, we are committed to putting every dime of the Race to the Top money to the best use possible for students.”
Education leaders across the state stepped up with their support of the round two Race to the Top application, and the General Assembly passed legislation aimed at better arming local school districts to implement the plan. Sherri Strickland, president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, said, “I am proud of the work each NCAE local leader did with local superintendents and school boards to make North Carolina’s Race to the Top award possible. NCAE looks forward to continuing this partnership with Governor Perdue, Superintendent Atkinson and local school systems as we make this grant work for North Carolina students and educators.”
The Race to the Top award will be overseen by Dr. Harrison and the State Board, and Superintendent Atkinson will be responsible for implementing the approved program.
“In recent days North Carolina has benefitted from significant federal investments in education,” said Perdue. “Now we must put those new resources to good use – quickly, with the utmost efficiency and accountability, and with an eye toward our one common goal: preparing every child for their 21st century futures.”
###Additional quotes from state leaders:
“NCSBA is excited to learn that North Carolina has been selected to receive a Race to the Top grant. School boards, administrators, teachers, and parents all worked hard to support the development of the North Carolina plan. I am confident that our 1.4 million students will reap the benefits of our collective efforts.”
-Edwin Dunlap, Jr., Ph.D., Executive Director, North Carolina School Boards Association
“I congratulate our North Carolina leadership for bringing home Race to the Top funding. In Guilford County, we will use the dollars wisely to make the Career and College: Ready, Set, Go! promise a reality.”
-Maurice “Mo” Green, superintendent of Guilford County Schools
“North Carolina's success in winning Race to the Top reflects the great teamwork in our state, with more than 150 people from the Governor's Office, NCDPI, UNC, school districts, professional associations, nonprofits, and the business community involved. It's an important outcome, but we know the hard work lies ahead -- implementing the Race to the Top plan to provide a great teacher in every classroom and a great leader in every school, greatly improve our lowest performing schools, move to internationally benchmarked standards and assessments, and use technology and data to enhance teaching and learning. The continuing collaboration and deep commitment of educators across our state will enable North Carolina to succeed.”
-Glenn Kleiman, Executive Director, Friday Institute for Educational Innovation
“The Race to the Top award is validation of our career and college school improvement plan.”
-Bill McNeal, Executive Director of N.C. Association of School Administrators
“North Carolina’s business community is excited about the Race to the Top initiative and the Governor’s aggressive ‘Ready, Set, Go’ education agenda. Economic success in a digital, global economy depends on the educational achievements of today’s students who are tomorrow’s customers, employees and shareholders. Each one has the capacity to achieve something great. North Carolina has a well-earned reputation for creative, innovative educational initiatives designed to help each student reach his or her fullest potential. This award builds on that proud heritage and will open the door to accomplishment and success for thousands of students, their families and communities.”
-Cynthia Marshall, President, AT&T North Carolina and Chair, North Carolina Chamber of Commerce