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State Superintendent officially launches Operation Polaris

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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt released her full strategic plan for education in North Carolina today.

Dubbed “Operation Polaris,” the plan encompasses 32 pages that explain how the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will respond to the pandemic and implement longer-terms plans for improving educational outcomes in the state, according to a press release.

“The disruptions to education caused by the pandemic demand an urgent and effective response,” Truitt said in the press release. “But we must not miss this opportunity to rethink and retool our strategies for teaching and learning to ensure a sound, basic education for all students.” 

According to the press release, Truitt’s plan is in alignment with the State Board of Education’s 2025 Statewide Strategic Plan and focuses on the Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration, which came into existence this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The press release says that office will “work in tandem” with DPI staff involved in literacy, student support services, accountability and testing, and human capital to “help students overcome the impact of lost instructional time and also accelerate their learning.”

Michael Maher is the director of the Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration. He said in the press release that his work is going to take time and sustained attention.

“We will continue making substantial and strategic investments to support learning recovery, with a particular focus on students who have been disproportionately impacted,” he said. “This isn’t a short-term fix. It’s going to take time and, DPI is invested in this long-term plan to scale and sustain programs that show positive impact for all students.”   

You can see who is on the working groups and next steps in Truitt’s full plan here.