RALEIGH - On December 10, 2024, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina State Superintendent-Elect Mo Green celebrated the progress made under the Governor’s leadership to build a better educated North Carolina. The Governor and State Superintendent-Elect visited classrooms, toured the new school building and spoke at Claxton Elementary School in Greensboro. They were joined by Guilford County Schools Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley and Guilford County Schools Teacher of the Year Jeffrey Silverthorne. This is the second in a series of events highlighting the Governor's major accomplishments and progress made for North Carolina during his time in office.

"Strong public schools build strong communities and a strong North Carolina. Our state's future depends on ensuring every child has the opportunity to receive a high-quality education in our public schools," said Governor Roy Cooper. "The legislature needs to make meaningful investments in public education so schools have the resources they need to succeed. We can't let our children down."

“Public education unlocks the doors to the world,” said State Superintendent-Elect Mo Green. “I know first-hand that our public schools have the ability to transform the lives of each and every student, and I’m looking forward to getting to work to implement a bold vision, direction and plan for our public schools.”

“Governor Cooper has been a steadfast advocate for public schools during his time in office. He steered us through the pandemic and ensured that public schools were a priority in the state’s recovery efforts. He recognizes that strong schools build strong communities and routinely supports efforts to increase pay and improve the quality of life for our families and staff,” said Guilford County Schools Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley. “His contributions to North Carolina’s public schools will leave a lasting legacy.”

“Governor Cooper's investment in public education means giving every student, regardless of their background, the opportunity to build a meaningful future,” said Guilford County Schools Teacher of the Year Jeffrey Silverthorne. “It means supporting teachers so we can support our students. And it means building a stronger North Carolina, one classroom at a time.”

“Under Governor Cooper’s leadership, Guilford County School has seen the impact of his investments in both educators and student services. The Governor not only secured substantial 19% pay raises for teachers but also dedicated $3 million to combat teacher shortages, while simultaneously expanding essential student support services including school breakfast programs and mental health resources,” said Claxton Elementary Principal Kevin Thoma. “His dedication and investment in high-quality pre-K programs have allowed our most vulnerable students to be set up as lifelong learners. I am looking forward to the continued investment in our local public school systems.”

Under the Governor’s leadership, North Carolina has made tremendous progress on investing in public education, including the following achievements.

PROCLAIMED 2024 AS “THE YEAR OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS” IN NORTH CAROLINA TO PROTECT FUNDING AND RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Strong public schools build strong communities. Governor Cooper proclaimed 2024 as “The Year of Public Schools” and visited public schools across the state and met with students, educators and parents to highlight how public schools lay the foundation for the future of our state and urged the legislature to fully fund public education. 

North Carolina public school students earned more than 325,000 workforce credentials last year, and nearly one-third of public school graduates take at least one course for college credit while in high school. North Carolina has the most National Board-certified teachers in the nation - one of the highest recognitions teachers can earn.

RAISED AVERAGE TEACHER PAY BY 19% THROUGHOUT HIS TIME IN OFFICE

Teachers deserve to be paid like the professionals they are, and Governor Cooper has fought tirelessly to raise teacher pay. Each year in office, Governor Cooper has proposed a state budget that would give North Carolina’s public schools the funding they need and provide meaningful raises for teachers and school officials. Governor Cooper has proposed budgets and plans that would have made North Carolina first in the Southeast for teacher pay.

Throughout the Governor’s time in office, the state has raised average teacher pay by over 19%.

INVESTED $805 MILLION IN EARLY CARE AND LEARNING CHILD CARE CENTERS

High-quality early childhood education is a critical component of a sound basic education for our children. Governor Cooper announced a historic investment in North Carolina’s early care and learning child care programs to keep child care centers open and improve early childhood teacher pay. A total of $1.1 billion in child care stabilization grants has gone to child care programs across 99 counties in North Carolina. More funding is needed in the coming years to keep these essential businesses operating.

Investing in child care is a triple play - it helps children learn and grow, so parents can go back to work and employers can have a stable workforce. The North Carolina Child Care Stabilization Grants helped early care and learning programs with recruitment and retention and promoted equity for children, parents and teachers.

Grant recipients used the funds to boost teacher pay, mental health support, payments for rent, mortgage, utilities, facility maintenance or insurance, equipment and supplies and goods or services necessary to maintain child care.

EXPANDED ACCESS AND INVESTED IN HIGH-QUALITY PRE-K PROGRAMS

Preschool is critical to long-term success, and NC Pre-K helps young children get a strong start in school and in life.

The Governor sought to end a waiting list for Pre-K by funding slots to expand NC Pre-K, so more 4-year-olds were able to attend the program. In addition, Governor Cooper also directed $8 million in federal funding to all NC Pre-K classrooms to help address classroom needs.

The NC Pre-K program is one of the best early childhood programs in the nation - evaluations show that low-income students that attended NC Pre-K had higher third grade reading and math scores than their peers who did not participate in the program.

Investing in early learning is essential. Governor Cooper reauthorized the state’s Early Childhood Advisory Council to convene experts from a wide range of fields that contribute to young children’s healthy development, education and well-being.

INVESTED $3 MILLION TO HELP MORE PEOPLE BECOME FULLY LICENSED TEACHERS AND ADDRESS TEACHER SHORTAGES

Every student deserves to have a qualified teacher and the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. Governor Cooper directed $3 million to help more North Carolinians become fully licensed teachers to address teacher shortages. This investment provided financial assistance for aspiring teachers to cover licensure exam fees and preparation support.

CHAMPIONED INITATIVES TO DIVERSIFY THE EDUCATOR WORKFORCE

Diversity at the front of the classroom improves student success across the board. Governor Cooper created the Developing a Representative and Inclusive Vision for Education (DRIVE) Task Force resulting in recommendations and an action plan to increase the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of North Carolina’s educator workforce.

Under the Governor’s leadership, the Teaching Fellows program was expanded to three additional campuses including two historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

INVESTING IN PROGRAMS TO FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

Public schools provide safe places for children to learn as well as healthy meals for students who sometimes face food insecurity at home. The Governor directed over $1.3 million to expand access to healthy school breakfast in public schools. Governor Cooper also announced the SUN Bucks program to feed one million North Carolina school children over the summer. Nearly 60% of public school students across the state qualify for free and reduced-price meals at school.

MADE HIGHER EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Community colleges are North Carolina’s not-so-secret weapon to building a strong workforce. Governor Cooper launched the Longleaf Commitment program, a $25.5 million investment to guarantee that 2021 graduating high school seniors from low- and middle-income families received at least $2,800 in federal and state grants to cover tuition and most fees at any of the state’s 58 community colleges. In November 2021, the Governor signed the bipartisan state budget into law which expanded the Longleaf Commitment Program to include 2022 high school graduates.

To date, more than 27,400 students have received a Longleaf Commitment Grant totaling over $25.5 million. 77% of the grants have gone to students with family incomes less than $60,000.

HELPED COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS STAY ON TRACK TO COMPLETE THEIR DEGREE

Governor Cooper is focused on ensuring more people can finish their training and get a good-paying job to support themselves and their families. Many students cite challenges other than academic reasons for not finishing school. The Governor launched the Finish Line Grants program to help community college students who face unforeseen financial emergencies complete their training.

More than $7.5 million in Finish Line Grants have helped over 16,000 community college students complete their training and prepare to enter the workforce.

A car repair shouldn’t determine your future. Finish Line Grants help students pay for course materials, housing, medical needs, dependent care, or other financial emergencies that students may face through no fault of their own.

STRENGTHENED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS IN K-12 SCHOOLS AND POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

Student mental health is critical to student success. Governor Cooper announced $5 million to the NC Department of Health and Human Services to expand Youth Mental Health First Aid training and $7.7 million to support North Carolina’s postsecondary institutions in providing additional mental health services to students.

Using this funding, the UNC System collaborated with the North Carolina Community College System and the state’s independent colleges and universities to offer suicide prevention training to faculty and staff across all three education systems.

View the Governor's remarks as prepared.