Education Matters Coverage

MARY ANN WOLF: N.C. legislators will soon spend $1 billion surplus. Public schools must be a priority

Wednesday, April 24, 2024 -- Public schools matter to each and every community across North Carolina. With meaningful investments, they can continue to thrive and serve our state.

MARY ANN WOLF: Building relationships via 'Bring Your Legislator to School Day'

Monday, April 22, 2024 -- Allowing policymakers to experience the day-to-day reality of the state's elementary and secondary schools helps establish strong relationships between legislators and the communities they serve to foster collaboration, ensure transparency and consider diverse perspectives when crafting policies.

MARY ANN WOLF: Education is on the ballot

Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 -- North Carolina is ranked at the bottom -- 49th this year -- for school funding efforts. That won't change unless we elect decision-makers who value and prioritize education as a public good essential to the continued progress of our communities.

MARY ANN WOLF: Better support, resources make teachers even more effective

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 -- Teachers are the No. 1 school-related factor in student outcomes. Each teacher has the potential to impact hundreds of children throughout their career. We place high expectations on those educators but as a state, we have oftentimes failed to give them the resources needed to meet those expectations.

MARY ANN WOLF: A roadmap for targeted investment

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023 -- Equitable funding based on need is a crucial step in improving public schools so they can reach their full potential and prepare students to be successful, productive members of an ever-evolving world. The future of our state, our communities and our children are certainly worth investing in.

DEANNA TOWNSEND-SMITH: Achieving equity in public education together

Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 -- As we work to protect and support each child it is important to elevate their experiences to help inform policy and practice. Representation matters as it instills aspiration. Students want and need to understand the past to continue the progress we have made as a nation.

MARY ANN WOLF: Supporting teachers so they can support students

Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 -- Public education is an investment. Is there a more worthy investment than one in the future of our children and communities? By providing teachers with the compensation, resources and respect they are entitled to, we give them the tools to build up each child.

MARY ANN WOLF: Words of hope from N.C.'s teacher, principal and superintendent of the year

Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 -- What gives hope to our Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year and Superintendent of the Year.

MARY ANN WOLF: Kids matter! Don't neglect N.C.'s public schools

Monday, Sept. 4, 2023 -- One of the most central purposes of our state government is to support a strong system of public schools to pave the way for a strong democracy, society, and economy. Yet over the past few months, we've heard proposed bills, recommended ideas and rhetoric that forgets and detracts from that purpose.

MARY ANN WOLF: North Carolina has the money. Why shortchange public education?

Thursday, May 18, 2023 -- We have the money and we DO want it invested in our public schools. The 1.5 million public school students in our state deserve it.

MARY ANN WOLF: Ask yourself these questions

Monday, May 8, 2023 -- Pay attention to what is happening before our eyes. It does not matter what party you are in or even who you voted for. The full impact of these proposed changes would be devastating. We would not have the democracy we cherish. We would not have the schools our kids and families deserve. We would not attract businesses to this state.

MARY ANN WOLF & GRIFFIN GURKIN: Knowing your students, helping them with choices

Monday, March 20, 2023 -- Being aware of the students -- knowing that what they experienced at home may be very different from what they are getting here and even what you've experienced in your life -- making sure you think about that with the choices they make.

MARY ANN WOLF: Making education engaging and responsive to today's students

Monday, March 6, 2023 -- We have made progress toward a more just and equitable world, but we still have much more work to do. Being willing to shift the way we educate our students and engage them more deeply in class content is a part of that work.

MARY ANN WOLF: Top N.C. education issues for 2023

Monday, Feb. 13, 2023 -- We are not talking about throwing money at problems and hoping they somehow get fixed. We're talking about research-based solutions and shifting from viewing education as an expense to viewing it as an investment in our state, our economy, and our communities.

MARY ANN WOLF: The importance of student voices

Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023 -- We must bring in the perspective of students, and when we ask, they have much to say and offer to important discussions and decisions. ... If we want to do what's best for our kids, listening to them is a simple but essential step.

MARY ANN WOLF: What N.C.'s regional teachers of the year want you to know

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023 -- "We want families to be aware of what we're teaching, how we're teaching it, how they can help at home, and (as) stakeholders in the community. We benefit so greatly from not just donations, but people that are professionals coming in and teaching our kids their skillset."

MARY ANN WOLF: Words of hope From N.C.'s regional Teachers of the Year

Monday, Dec. 19, 2022 -- Each of the North Carolina Teachers of the Year definitely gives me hope. I am just so grateful to be able to spend this time with these Teachers of the Year and to share their messages, hopefully even further out into the world and across our state.

MARY ANN WOLF & LAUREN FOX: Your education vote

Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022 -- The outcome of the soon-to-be-decided races will have far-reaching implications for critically important issues like women's reproductive rights, gun safety, voting rights, the economy, the environment, and of course, education. Research the candidates on your ballot to determine which candidates' commitments align with what you think is best for the future of our children, our state and our country.

Editorial: Tribute to Judge Lee's life, implement Leandro plan for quality schools to all NC students

Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022 -- In a deliberate and determined manner, the late Judge David Lee brought the opposing sides of the lawsuit - the plaintiffs of students, parents and neglected school systems and defendants that included the state of North Carolina and the State Board of Education - together to reach a consensus developing a methodical, practical and credible program to bring public education throughout the state into compliance with the promise of the Constitution.

MARY ANN WOLF: What gives you hope? N.C. Principal and Teachers of the Year share what inspires them

Monday, Sept. 26, 2022 -- A new school year has just gotten underway. It is a time of expectation and ambition. We recently had the opportunity to talk with North Carolina's 2022 Principal of the Year and the 2021 and 2022 Teachers of the Year. We asked each what gives them hope as the new school year starts and affirms their faith that education is critical for North Carolina.

By Mary Ann Wolf, Public School Forum

NC BUSINESS LEADERS: Court must order state to fulfill Constitution's promise to NC children

Sunday, July 31, 2022 -- The right to education is unique among the rights guaranteed by the North Carolina Constitution's Declaration of Rights. Unlike other provisions in the Declaration, Article I, Section 15 does not content itself with declaring the right--it expressly imposes a duty on the State to protect it.("The people have a right to the privilege of education, and it is the duty of the State to guard and maintain that right.") That is exactly what the Court should do here,

MARY ANN WOLF: Court must affirm Leandro order and plan, N.C. must fund it

Friday, July 29, 2022 -- We must seize this moment as parents, as community members, as business leaders, and as public officials to do what our kids need. Demonstrating to our educators and our communities that education is a priority for our state and our families must begin today.

MARY ANN WOLF: It's quite simple. Put our kids and their needs first

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 -- Educating our wonderfully diverse students is very complicated. But, in terms of what we, our state and public education leaders need to do, it's simple. Yes, VERY simple. Put our kids and their needs first. Our kids MUST BE centered as the primary focus of the discussions.

MARY ANN WOLF: Principals and the support they provide

Tuesday, May 17, 2022 -- Having a high-quality and well-prepared principal matters - for students, for teachers, and for communities. You can quickly see the impact of the principals' leadership when you walk into the building, and when you walk around with a principal who clearly knows every student by name and even from connections around activities or what is happening in their lives - it changes the school.

MARY ANN WOLF: Finding the best for the teacher pipeline

Monday, April 25, 2022 -- We need to encourage more individuals to consider education for their careers. Our teacher pipeline has decreased significantly over the past decade, and across North Carolina we are experiencing a teacher shortage in almost all areas and grade levels.