Report on National Approaches to Competency-Based Learning (Education Commission of the States)
This document was compiled by the Education Commission of the States shares relevant national perspectives on competency-based learning to provide context for discussions held by Lab attendees at the 2026 North Carolina Education Innovation Lab on March 23, 2026.
Quality Framework for Competency-Based Education Programs (C-BEN)
The C-BEN Quality Framework for CBE Programs was developed in response to a growing need for definitions of quality relating to competency-based education. Led by the C-BEN Quality Standards Task Force, this work drew from the Shared Design Elements and Emerging Practices of Competency-Based Education, and brought together leading program designers and system administrators from C-BEN institutions representing an array of models. This task force worked together over 2016 to create the first edition of Quality Principles & Standards for Competency-Based Education Programs through an iterative and inclusive process, developing principles and standards universal enough to apply to all CBE programs, regardless of model variations.
Facts & Figures: Education in North Carolina
This annual guide is designed to give you quick and easy access to key data that will support your work to improve North Carolina’s education system. Each edition of Facts & Figures is developed in partnership with dozens of stakeholders and represents the collected efforts of hundreds of hours of research, reporting, and review.
North Carolina Counts on Math (NCCOM): Designing a Shared K-5 Vision for Math (2026)
BEST NC, partnering with Watershed Advisors, convened the North Carolina Counts on Math (NCCOM) working group consisting of a cross-section of state and local mathematics educators, policymakers, and stakeholders to examine current conditions in K-5 mathematics and to identify opportunities for improvement.
NC First in Teaching (FIT) Roadmap (2018)
In 2018, current and former NC teachers formed the FIT Leaders. The culmination of their work together was the NC First in Teaching Roadmap, which highlights practical, actionable innovations to improve the teaching experience.
Excellence: North Carolina’s Education Vision (2015)
Excellence: North Carolina’s Education Vision was created in 2015 with input from education stakeholders and experts from across the state and the nation to develop a shared strategic vision to transform education in North Carolina.
NC STRIDE: An Action Plan for Teacher Recruitment in North Carolina (2021)
This document shares the recommendations, strategies, and actions suggested by the NC STRIDE Teacher Recruitment Working Group in 2020, and highlights areas of alignment with other education initiatives under way at the time.
Teacher Pay in North Carolina: A Smart Investment in Student Achievement (2025 Edition)
The 2025 Edition of Teacher Pay in North Carolina: A Smart Investment in Student Achievement examines how existing teacher pay structures fail to address decades-long shifts in our national workforce and are inadequate for meeting the personal and professional needs of teachers. This updated report provides an expanded set of strategic recommendations to significantly increase and improve the pay structure for teachers, additional data, and updated assets.