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State Superintendent opens applications for parent advisory commission

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt sent out a press release Wednesday opening applications for a 48-member parent advisory commission, which will include “parents or guardians” from traditional public, charter, home, and private schools.

Each of the state’s education regions will be represented by six parents or guardians with the following makeup:

  • Two from traditional public schools
  • One from a charter school
  • One from a homeschool
  • One from a private school
  • And one “at-large public-school member from the largest county in each of the 8 regions, including: Buncombe, Catawba, Cumberland, Guilford, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Pitt, Wake.”

The application is open through March 31.

According to the press release, members of the commission will discuss their “aspirations” and the “challenges” for North Carolina public education. This input will help “to put together recommendations for elected officials and policy makers in North Carolina, while providing direct feedback to Truitt,” the press release stated.

“This Commission is focused on giving parents a seat at the table and strengthening parent and family involvement in education,” Truitt said in the press release.

It also states that various school options, including non-public ones, will be represented to “ensure broad representation of all school choice options across the state and include diverse feedback.”

In an email, Blair Rhoades, communications director for the state Department of Public Instruction (DPI), said that non-public school options are represented on the commission for the following reasons:

  • “Every parent of a student has a story to tell. And every one of those stories can be used to make improvements or to lift up best practices elsewhere.”
  • Because Truitt “is a supporter of school choice, she wants to ensure that she is hearing feedback from every parent across the state.”
  • “This goal of this group is to represent all school choice options and include diverse feedback so that they can advise, inform, and engage school and community leaders as well as policy makers.”

Commission members will serve for two years and the full commission will meet quarterly starting this summer.

“Data shows us that students with parents who are involved in their education are more likely to achieve academic success and have a more positive attitude towards learning,” Truitt said in the press release. Click here to apply.

Alex Granados

Alex Granados was the senior reporter for EducationNC from December 2014-March 2023.