2024 Spotlight On Series: Early Literacy in North Carolina
Early Literacy in North Carolina 2024 Facts & Figures Series Published 2024 | BEST NC For decades, literacy instruction varied widely in schools across the United States. Many schools used what is called a “Balanced Literacy” approach, which emphasizes surrounding students with literature that they enjoy, with less focus on direct instruction of reading skills. This approach has been shown to be ineffective and, across the nation, states and districts are now shifting towards teaching practices that are aligned with the Science of Reading. The Science of Reading refers to a body of research that details how young students learn to read, including explicit (taught directly rather than implicitly or through discovery) and systematic (in a pre-determined order) instruction on fundamental reading skills like phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and vocabulary. North Carolina Legislation and Investments in the Science of Reading Recognizing the significant impact of early literacy on students’ long-term academic and social outcomes, in 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly established the Read to Achieve program to ensure that all 3rd grade students were proficient in reading before being promoted to fourth grade. After several years of implementation, the Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021 modified Read to Achieve and required all public schools to adopt a Science of Reading-aligned approach to reading instruction. The 2021 state budget also appropriated $37.5 million in federal COVID relief funding to train all elementary school teachers and principals in the Science of Reading. The following year, the 2022 state budget appropriated $15 million in recurring funding to create one early literacy specialist position in each school district and eight regional early literacy coaches. Beginning in the summer of 2021, all PreK-5 classroom teachers, special educators, and ELL teachers, as well as one administrator and coach from each elementary school, received Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training, a 160-hour course of study that takes two years to complete and instructs teachers in what literacy skills need to be taught, why, and how to teach them. School districts were placed into three cohorts, with the final cohort completing its training in spring 2024. The National Landscape Since 2013, 47 states have passed laws to encourage instructional practices aligned with the Science of Reading, including North Carolina. According to a recent ExcelinEd study of state literacy policies, North Carolina is one of a handful of states leading the nation in the implementation of the Science of Reading. The study found that North Carolina has fully implemented 11 of 18 Early Literacy Fundamental Principles, tied for most in the nation, alongside Alabama. Figure 1: Adoption and Implementation of the 18 Early Literacy Fundamental Principles* (2024) * Early Literacy Fundamental Principles are outlined in ExcelinEd’s Comprehensive Early Literacy Policy study. North Carolina earned high marks for training all elementary teachers in the state in the Science of Reading, for the use of a universal screener to test the literacy skills of all students in grades K-3, for providing reading camps to all struggling readers entering grades 1-4, and for requiring educator preparation programs in the state to align coursework to the Science of Reading. Early Indicators: Impact on Student Achievement The first year of statewide implementation of Science of Reading-focused policies was the 2022–23 school year. NC Department of Public Instruction officials have stated that they will likely have a full understanding of the impact of these policies in 2026–27 when students who are in kindergarten in 2023–24 reach 3rd grade. Evidence from early literacy screeners of students in grades K-3 shows year-over-year increases in the percentage of students who are “on track,” with 49% of K-3 students at or above the benchmark in 2023–24, compared to just 38% in 2021–22. Because the Science of Reading implementation began after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is difficult at this time to determine the extent to which improved student performance is the result of Science of Reading-aligned instructional practices, given that other interventions have been deployed related to overall learning recovery efforts. In order to measure the full impact of North Carolina’s early literacy efforts, it will be important to examine student results on End-of-Grade reading assessments in grades 3-8, and to continue to monitor the early acquisition of literacy skills of students in grades K-2. Figure 2: Students in Grades K-3 “On Track” on DIBELS 8 Universal Early Literacy Screener in North Carolina Public Schools (2021–22 to 2023–24) What Comes Next? Maximizing the impact of North Carolina’s investment in early literacy will depend upon the coordinated efforts of NC DPI and local school districts, including: Strategic deployment by school districts of Literacy Intervention funding, which can be used to pay for literacy interventions for struggling readers (including summer reading camps), provide signing and performance bonuses for reading teachers, and provide LETRS training for new teachers in the district. Identifying and purchasing high-quality curricular materials that are aligned with the Science of Reading, and then training teachers to effectively use those materials. Identifying and sharing best practices for school- and district-level early literacy curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development to encourage the adoption of evidenced-based best practices statewide. For instance, Advanced Teaching Roles schools can leverage the leadership capacity of advanced roles teachers to support whole-school implementation of Science of Reading-based instructional strategies and curriculum. Sources ExcelinEd Early Literacy Policy Map; NC DPI Report to the State Board of Education — 2023–24 Early Grade Literacy Proficiency; NC DPI LETRS Implementation, 2021–2025 About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2024 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2024 Spotlight On Series: School Expenditures in North Carolina During the COVID-19 Pandemic
School Expenditures in NC During the COVID-19 Pandemic 2024 Facts & Figures Series Published 2024 | BEST NC To address both the funding and academic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government issued over $190.5 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Funds (ESSER), of which $5.6 billion was distributed to North Carolina schools. ESSER Funds and Per Pupil Expenditures Made in three allotments, ESSER provided state and local education agencies with one-time funds to support schools and school programming during the pandemic and subsequent learning recovery efforts. The last of this funding, known as ESSER III, was distributed at the end of 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan. All ESSER funding must be spent by the end of September 2024 and, although these funds were always understood to be one-time funds, there are concerns about a looming “fiscal cliff” and a potential negative impact on students when funding returns to typical levels. Beginning in 2020–21, the influx of federal COVID relief funding increased the percentage of North Carolina public school funding that came from the federal government. Typically, federal funds account for 10% of all school funding. This percentage peaked at 20% in 2021–22, before decreasing to 14% in 2022–23. Figure 1: K-12 Public Education per Pupil Expenditures, Inflation-Adjusted to 2023 Dollars, by Source (2018–19 to 2022–23) While state per pupil education expenditures have increased every year since 2015, state spending has not kept up with the pace of inflation. As a result, inflation-adjusted state per pupil expenditures have decreased 3% since 2018–19, the school year immediately prior to the pandemic. Inflation-adjusted decreases in state per pupil education funding, in addition to the expiration of federal COVID relief funds, may cause resource challenges for schools in the years ahead. In addition to funds allocated directly to LEAs, North Carolina allocated $19.5 Millionto Non-Profits for services, including Communities in Schools, the YMCA, United Way, and others. Expenditure of COVID Relief Funding The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) has created an interactive dashboard to track expenditures of COVID relief funding, including funding from ESSER, the COVID Recovery Fund (CRF), the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER), and state funding. Figure 2 examines school and district expenditures by category, illustrating the way funding priorities have shifted over time. Figure 2: COVID-19 Relief Funds Spending by K-12 Public School Units, by Category (2019–20 to 2023–24) The majority of COVID relief funding (55%) has been spent on salaries and benefits for school staff with approximately 20% of all funding used to supplement educator contracts in the form of one-time bonus pay, mostly in 2021–22. While salaries and incentives for educators remained the top expense in 2022–23 and 2023–24, many districts have begun to allocate a greater portion of funding towards Capital Outlay (i.e., facilities) to update and maintain infrastructure in school buildings. As of April 2024, 40 LEAs have 10% or more of their COVID relief funding remaining, while 75 LEAs have less than 10% remaining, including three districts which have spent all of their COVID relief funding. Looking Ahead In order to understand how ESSER funds have contributed to learning recovery and academic improvement, NC DPI’s Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration (OLR) will continue to investigate the outcomes of programs and policies that were supported by ESSER funding. By evaluating the return on investment, policymakers can better understand how educational supports utilized during the pandemic can be leveraged to improve student outcomes in the future. Sources OESE ARP ESSER – State and Local Educational Agency (LEA)/School District Plans; ESSER Funding Cliff Toolkit (February 2024); NC DPI Allotment and Expenditure Data Visualization (4/2/24); NC DPI Statistical Profile, Table 23 About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2024 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2024 Spotlight On Series: Restart Schools in North Carolina
Restart Schools in North Carolina 2024 Facts & Figures Series Published 2024 | BEST NC Restart Schools are continually low-performing schools that have been granted certain operational flexibilities to improve student outcomes. To qualify, a school must have a School Performance Grade of D or F and a School Growth status of Met or Did Not Meet Expected Growth in at least two of the prior three school years. Under state statute, Restart Schools have flexibility in areas such as teacher licensure, the teacher salary schedule, class size, and school calendar. There are currently 148 Restart Schools in North Carolina. On average, students in Restart Schools were 7% closer to their expected pre-pandemic scores than students in other recurring low-performing schools. Data from DPI reveal that the longer a school has had Restart Flexibility, the more likely they are to meet or exceed academic gain expectations, as defined by the State Board of Education. For instance, in the 2021–22 school year, 87% of schools that had Restart status for five years met or exceeded academic gain expectations, compared with 59% of schools that had Restart Flexibility for just one year. This positive impact also extended to Restart schools’ ability to recover from the pandemic, where Restart schools have outperformed their other continually low-performing school peers. Comparing to the prior year, Restart students experienced 5% and 4% more recovery than their non-Restart peers in Math and ELA, respectively. A 2024 report on Restart Schools found that school administrators deployed 81 unique strategies to improve student outcomes. The most common strategy was to utilize budget flexibility (142 schools) with 75% of those using budget flexibility to hire additional staff. Importantly, the report found that strategies focused on improving student performance had a greater positive impact on student achievement and growth, as compared to strategies focused on student conduct and school staffing. Figure 1: Effect of Research Strategies on Student Achievement and Growth (2023) This report examined only the 2022–23 school year. In the years to come, it will be important to continue to track efforts to improve Restart School performance and, specifically, track the strategies that are most effective for students. Sources NC Statute § 115C-105.37B; NC State Board Policy Manual; NC DPI Office of Learning Recovery & Acceleration — Restart, Learning Loss, and Recovery; NC DPI — Restart Annual Report Summary, August 2023; NC DPI — Restart Pathways: Variations and Test Score Associations About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2024 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2024 Spotlight On Series: Teacher Supplement Assistance Allotment
Teacher SupplementAssistance Allotment 2024 Facts & Figures Series Published 2024 | BEST NC In North Carolina, teacher salaries typically include a state-funded base salary and a local salary supplement, with some teachers eligible for other performance and credential-based increases or bonuses. Local Salary Supplements Significant inequity exists in value of local salary supplements across North Carolina’s traditional public school districts, driven both by the property wealth of the district and local funding effort, typically determined by county commissioners. In 2023–24, average local salary supplements ranged from $10,650 in Chapel Hill–Carrboro City Schools to $0 in Graham County Schools, Caswell County Schools, and Weldon City Schools. Local supplements are roughly correlated with differences in cost of living in these counties. In 2023–24,average local teachersalary supplementsranged from$0 to $10,650. The Supplemental Funds for Teacher Compensation Allotment Recognizing that differences in local salary supplements may be a driver of the inequitable distribution of effective teachers, the North Carolina General Assembly established the Teacher Supplement Assistance Allotment (“the Allotment”) in 2021. The state budget provided $100 million in the first year, with $70 million added in 2022 and $30 million added in 2023, bringing current funding for the Allotment to $200 million annually. The Allotment is structured such that districts in less wealthy counties receive a greater amount of funding per teacher. This is designed to increase the capacity of those districts to offer competitive local salary supplements. In the first year of implementation, 109 of 115 traditional public-school districts (representing 69% of the state’s teachers) received teacher supplement funding ranging from $436 to $4,250 per teacher. Effect on Local Salary Supplements In 2021–22, local school districts spent approximately $515M on locally funded salary supplements for teachers and the Allotment contributed an additional $100M. State funding helped reduce variation in districts’ teacher salary supplements but did not fully mitigate the advantage held by districts at the top of the local salary supplement rankings. In 2021–22, average combined salary supplements – including local funds and funds from the Allotment – ranged from $1,925 in Rutherford County Schools to approximately $9,072 in New Hanover County Schools. Ninety-five of the 109 school districts receiving Allotment funds gave the same amount of supplemental pay to each teacher. Just three districts – Bertie County Schools, Gaston County Schools, and Yadkin County Schools – implemented a pay strategy with a supplement range of more than $300 and an appreciable difference between minimum, average, and maximum salary supplements. These data indicate that funds from the Allotment have not been deployed strategically to, for example, fill critical vacancies, retain effective teachers, or recruit effective teachers to low-performing schools. Sources NC DPI Statistical Profile, Table 20; North Carolina General Assembly: Fiscal Research Division; NC DPI Report: Supplemental Funds for Teacher Compensation; NC DPI (Data Request) About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2024 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2024 Spotlight On Series: The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program
The North CarolinaTeaching Fellows Program 2024 Facts & Figures Series Published 2024 | BEST NC The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program was created in 1986 to provide forgivable loan scholarships to teacher candidates attending 17 public and private educator preparation programs across the state. The program graduated 400–500 Teaching Fellows each year and recipients agreed to teach in North Carolina public schools for four years in exchange for having their loans forgiven. A 2012 evaluation of the program found that Teaching Fellows graduates stayed in the profession longer than other teachers, but were more likely to work in lower poverty schools. After funding for the program was discontinued in 2012, the program was reestablished in 2017 with an emphasis on hard-to-staff subject areas (originally STEM and Special Education, with elementary education added beginning with the 2024–25 cohort) and high-need schools. Under the new version of the program, Teaching Fellows participants receive up to $5,000 per semester for tuition, books, and fees at one of ten North Carolina educator preparation programs selected by the Teaching Fellows Commission. Funds may now be used for undergraduate, graduate, or licensure-only educator preparation programs and loan forgiveness is accelerated when candidates work in low-performing schools. Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, the New Teaching Fellows Program awarded scholarships to 559 participants, resulting in 217 graduates. Figure 1: NC Teaching Fellows Program Participants, by Gender (2018–19 to 2023–24) Figure 2: NC Teaching Fellows Program Participants, by Race/Ethnicity (2018–19 to 2023–24) Of the 217 program graduates to date, 167 are teaching in a North Carolina public school in a qualifying licensure area (15 of these graduates participated in the program but did not take scholarship funding). Twenty-two percent of these are receiving accelerated loan forgiveness by working in a school that is designated as low-performing. Of the 217 Teaching Fellows graduates to date: 70% have repaid or are repaying their loans through service (22% of these are working in low-performing schools). 30% have chosen not to teach and have entered cash repayment. An additional 66 graduates (30%) have chosen not to teach and are in cash repayment for their loans. Graduates who choose cash repayment must pay back interest accrued since the date they received their scholarship. The relatively high rate of cash repayment suggests that more support and/or policy changes may be needed to retain Teaching Fellows participants in the teaching profession during their service-based repayment period and beyond. Sources North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2024 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2024 Spotlight On Series: 20-Year Enrollment Trends in North Carolina Schools
20-Year Enrollment Trends inNorth Carolina Schools 2024 Facts & Figures Series Published 2024 | BEST NC North Carolina is the 9th largest state in the nation with the 8th highest population growth between 2000 to 2020. Much of the growth can be attributed to in-migration, not births, with the largest increases in urban areas, including Charlotte and the Research Triangle area. However, population growth has not been uniform across the state, as many counties face decreasing populations. Population changes directly impact student enrollment in K-12 public schools, private schools, and homeschools. From 2004 to 2023, 55 counties saw an increase in total K-12 school enrollment, while 45 counties saw a decrease in enrollment. The percentage change in enrollment ranged from a 211% increase in Buncombe County to a 44% decrease in Washington county. Figure 1: 20-Year Change in Total School Enrollment (2004 to 2023) Traditional public and public charter schools served 84% of all K-12 students in 2022–23, down from 90% in 2004. From 2004 to 2023, homeschool enrollment increased by 184% or 100,044 students statewide, with increases in nearly all counties. Homeschool enrollment has now surpassed total private school enrollment which increased by 39% or 35,846 students during this period. Figure 2: Percentage Enrollment Increase and the Number of Counties with Increasing Enrollment, by School Type (2004 to 2023) Within public schools, traditional school enrollment has grown 4%, from 1,318,529 to 1,378,133 students (up 59,604 students) since 2004. Charter school enrollment increased by 504% or 110,084 students, with charter school enrollment increasing in nearly twice as many counties as traditional enrollment. The chart to the left shows the percentage increase statewide by school type, as well as the number of counties that saw growth in each school type. Of the counties with increasing enrollment, 21 saw gains across all four school types. Sources NC DPI Statistical Profile, Tables 1 & 3; NC Home School Statistical Summary (Years 2004–2023); NC Private School Statistical Summary (Years 2004–2023) About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2024 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2025 Spotlight On Series: Middle School Math in North Carolina
Middle School Mathin North Carolina 2025 Facts & Figures Series Published 2025 | BEST NC A key focus of middle school math instruction is to prepare students for success in Math 1, which is the first high school math course for North Carolina students. Math 1 proficiency is recognized as a critical milestone for college readiness and lifetime achievement. Students who successfully complete Math 1 by the end of 9th grade are far more likely to graduate high school on time, enroll in postsecondary education, and pursue STEM-related careers. Conversely, students who struggle with Math 1 often face lower college completion rates and reduced earning potential in adulthood. Middle School Math Proficiency In the latest National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP) report on students’ academic achievement in reading and math, North Carolina stood out as one of five states nationwide that significantly improved in 8th grade math, tying with Tennessee as the top-ranking state in the Southeast. Importantly, North Carolina outpaced or tied the national average in nearly all subgroups. While the recent NAEP results are promising, 8th grade math results remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels, and only 31% of North Carolina’s 8th grade students are considered college and career ready in math. Figure 1: NAEP 8th Grade Math Proficiency (2009 to 2024) Factors Contributing to Growth In the 2018–19 school year, North Carolina implemented an automatic enrollment policy for math. Beginning in fourth grade, the policy requires school districts to place students who score a five on their end of grade assessment into advanced math courses. The improvements in middle school math may also be attributed, at least in part, to students’ access to more rigorous course work, including explicit (directly taught) and systematic (presented in a structured, logical sequence) instruction in key mathematical concepts enabling students develop a strong foundation in middle school math content before progressing to more complex topics. Sources NAEP Data Explorer About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2025 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2025 Spotlight On Series: Math 3 Achievement
Math 3 Achievementin North Carolina 2025 Facts & Figures Series Published 2025 | BEST NC In the wake of the pandemic, academic achievement across the United States was negatively impacted by school closures, disruptions to learning, and the shift to remote education. While recovery has been slow in many areas, North Carolina student achievement in Math 3 is unique in that it is well above pre-pandemic levels. Recovery and Growth in Math 3 Achievement In 2023–24, the percentage of students proficient on the Math 3 End-of-Course test (EOC) exceeded pre-pandemic levels (2019) by 10 percentage points. Figure 1: Math 3 EOC Achievement Rates (2019 to 2024) Increases in Math 3 proficiency has occurred across all student subgroups: Figure 2: Math 3 Students Scoring at or Above Grade Level Proficiency, by Student Subgroup (2019 and 2024) Factors Contributing to Growth The improvements in math may be due, in part, to North Carolina’s automatic enrollment policy which increases enrollment in advanced coursework by requiring that all students with a qualifying EOC/EOG score be automatically enrolled in an advanced math course the following school year. Sources ExcelinEd Early Literacy Policy Map; NC DPI Report to the State Board of Education – 2023–24 Early Grade Literacy Proficiency; NC DPI LETRS Implementation, 2021–2025 About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2025 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2025 Spotlight On Series: Increasing Costs of Teacher Benefits in North Carolina
Increasing Costs of Teacher Benefits in North Carolina 2025 Facts & Figures Series Published 2025 | BEST NC In North Carolina, teachers are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including healthcare and a defined-benefit retirement plan, also called a pension plan. Nationwide and in North Carolina, teacher retirement and healthcare benefits costs have risen sharply over the past two decades and require increasing levels of investment in order to maintain benefit levels and to fully fund pension obligations. In 2023–24, these benefits cost the state an average of $19,073 per teacher for retirement and $7,557 per teacher for healthcare. Teachers are also required to contribute 6% of their annual salary to the state retirement system. Together, the benefits package reflects a 45% cost increase per teacher for every dollar invested in salaries. In other words, for every $1 billion investment in teacher salaries, the actual cost to the state is another $450 million spent on benefits. For every $1 spent on teacher salaries, the state spends an additional 45 cents on benefits. Between 2013–14 and 2023–24, state expenditures on teacher benefits increased by 88% while state expenditures on teacher salaries have grown by just 33%. Figure 1: State Expenditure on Instructional Personnel, by Type (2013–14 to 2023–24) Note: Estimated Matching Benefits includes funds for Social Security, Retirement, and Hospitalization for position allotments for Classroom Teachers, Instructional Support, and School Building Administration. Sources Current Appropriations Act of 2023; NEA Rankings and Estimates Report 2024 About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2025 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.
2025 Spotlight On Series: School Safety & Discipline in North Carolina
School Safety & Disciplinein North Carolina 2025 Facts & Figures Series Published 2025 | BEST NC In recent years, teachers, parents, and students have expressed growing alarm over school safety and discipline, as behavioral incidents and crimes in schools have increased. Among other reasons, disciplinary incidents are concerning because they result in lost instructional time. In North Carolina, school discipline policies and practices are largely determined by local boards of education and therefore vary across the state. The NC Department of Public Instruction collects data on student behaviors leading to short- and long-term suspensions. In 2023–24, 99% of all reported incidents resulted from unacceptable behavior and were not a crime or violent offense. Trends in Student Suspensions In 2023–24, 26% of reported behavior incidents were assigned a short-term suspension. Most of these resulted from a single incident, with less than one percent of short-term suspensions resulting from recurring or multiple incidents. Defiant Behavior accounted for 46% of short-term suspensions, while Assaults or Threats accounted for 28% of all short-term suspensions. Figure 1: Number of Unacceptable Behavior Short-Term Suspensions, by Incident Category (2023–24) Middle schools have the highest rate of suspensions, with an average of 286 short-term suspensions per 1,000 students, compared to 176 short-term suspensions per 1,000 students in high schools. Additionally, Black male students have the highest rate of suspensions with 20% receiving a suspension in 2023–24. Black male students accounted for 29% of all students suspended. School-Based Crime and Violence In 2023–24, 26% of reported behavior incidents were assigned a short-term suspension. Most of these resulted from a single incident, with less than one percent of short-term suspensions resulting from recurring or multiple incidents. Defiant Behavior accounted for 46% of short-term suspensions, while Assaults or Threats accounted for 28% of all short-term suspensions. Figure 2: Acts of Crime and Violence, by Category and School Level (2023–24) State Efforts on School Safety In an effort to ensure all North Carolina public schools and students are safe, North Carolina established two ongoing grant programs that provide state funding to public school units to support the hiring of new School Resource Officers and the purchasing of physical equipment to make schools more secure. In 2021, North Carolina also established the Center for Safer Schools (CFSS). Given the increasing number of students facing disciplinary actions following the return to school after COVID, the CFSS is developing a discipline matrix to support school districts in crafting more effective discipline policies that will help ensure all students have an opportunity to learn. 12,212 acts of crime and violence were reported in NC public schools during the 2023–24 academic year. Sources NC DPI Consolidated Data Report 2023–24; NC DPI Statistical Profile, Table 10 About This Series This post is part of BEST NC’s 2025 Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina Spotlight On: series. View the full report at NCEdFacts.org or visit BESTNC.org.