August 21, 2019
This week, North Carolina’s education and business leaders were provided with two opportunities to re-engage with the work of myFutureNC and our state’s bold educational attainment goal. On August 19, myFutureNC welcomed Commissioners, stakeholders, and subject matter experts from across the education continuum to reconnect on the progress made since the February 20 Call to Action and announcement of the state’s educational attainment goal.
The following day, members of the education and business communities came together at the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce Education and Workforce Conference where participants learned about the role the early childhood, K12, and postsecondary sectors play in preparing students to complete a postsecondary degree or credential.
myFutureNC Co-Chair Dale Jenkins speaks at the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce Education & Workforce Conference.
In our efforts to ensure that two million 25- to 44-year-olds hold a high-quality postsecondary degree or credential by 2030, business and community leaders are reminded that the work towards North Carolina’s educational attainment goal must be state driven but locally owned.
State education leaders participate in a town hall discussion on attainment and business partnerships.
State policymakers showed their leadership on this issue when Representative John Fraley (HD-95) introduced House Bill 664, An Act to Establish an Educational Attainment Goal for the State. The legislation received broad bipartisan support by both the House and Senate and was ratified on June 20, 2019. Governor Roy Cooper signed the bill into law on June 26, 2019.
Communities across North Carolina are taking the lead on creating partnerships to support educational attainment. Attendees at this week’s events had the opportunity to learn about several of these local efforts including the Land of Sky Education Consortium, STEM East Network, K-64 Catawba County, and Wake STEM Early College and NC State University.
Representatives of K-64 Catawba County speak with conference attendees about their program.
It is clear that North Carolina is well positioned to continue this next chapter of work towards achievement of an ambitious educational attainment goal. I hope you will continue to follow our myFutureNC Blog Series for continued coverage of efforts to increase attainment here in North Carolina.
Author
Javaid Siddiqi, Ph.D.
President & CEO, The Hunt Institute
