As we head into 2026, for the first time in nearly a decade, a unified step has been taken to declare our commitment to our children — the adoption of the North Carolina Public Schools Strategic Plan: Achieving Educational Excellence — in which we dare to proclaim our commitment to have the finest schools in our nation by 2030.
The task of building educational excellence for all lies with all leaders across our state, in roles large and small. In this effort, none of us can remain unaligned. To reach educational excellence, none can be uncommitted. It will take a different way of working together. Instead of burying one’s adversary, we must work collaboratively and leverage our differences, because we achieve so much more when we work as a team.
In fact, educational excellence will not be achieved by dramatic victories. Educational excellence is a daily, monthly process — steadily growing our educators’ skills and constantly increasing access and opportunities for all students.
How will we achieve educational excellence?
In 2026 and beyond, we will marshal our state’s unbridled ambition for our children, as expressed in these eight pillars:
- We believe in preparing each student for the next phase in life;
- We believe in revering public school educators;
- We believe in enhancing parent, caregiver, and community support;
- We believe in ensuring healthy, safe, and secure learning environments;
- We believe in optimizing our schools’ operational excellence;
- We believe in leading transformational change;
- We believe in celebrating the excellence in public education; and
- We believe in galvanizing champions to fully invest in and support public education.
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The question before us — do we have the courage and commitment to achieve educational excellence for our children — is but part of a larger vision.
What kind of North Carolina do we want to leave future generations?
In the 2024-25 school year, our students raised their combined academic achievement in 12 of 15 end-of-year tested areas, achieved the highest graduation rate in history, and thousands of students — like every year — will go on to compete and flourish in some of the most prestigious universities in our nation. So many others will successfully master their employer’s craft, and still others will serve our nation in the military.
Our students’ recent successes are not enough to bring educational excellence, but they are a lever. And as Archimedes, in explaining the principles of the lever, was said to declare: “Give me a place where I can stand, and I shall move the world.”
So let’s all take our stand here, now, in this place.
Let’s see if we, in our own time, can move our part of the world — North Carolina — to educational excellence, the best schools in America.
Editor’s note: This piece was edited from remarks published in October 2025.
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