In 1992, the North Carolina General Assembly created the North Carolina Education Cabinet to ensure cooperation among all entities of the state’s education system. The cabinet consists of the governor, Pat McCrory, who serves as the chairman; the state superintendent of public instruction, June Atkinson; the chairman of the State Board of Education, Bill Cobey; the president of the University of North Carolina System, Tom Ross; the president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Hope Williams; the secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, Aldona Wos; and the president of the North Carolina Community College System, Scott Ralls.
These education leaders work together to resolve issues between existing providers of public education and to develop a strategy for education programming in North Carolina. A formal meeting of the members of the state’s three education governing boards and the cooperating governing board of the independent colleges and universities is held annually to discuss issues, funding, and responsibilities of the systems.
On April 17, 2013, Gov. Pat McCrory convened the first North Carolina Education Cabinet meeting in nearly three years.
“Today’s meeting kicked off our efforts to improve North Carolina’s education system to ensure it remains not only the best in the country, but around the globe,” said Governor Pat McCrory. “We are bringing everyone to the table to develop a new vision and brand for North Carolina education. Our goal is to work together to make certain every student receives an affordable, well-rounded education and graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary to get a job.”
Read more about the meeting here.
Editor’s Note: EdNC will be posting leadership profiles on the policymakers influencing education in North Carolina. Recently, I met with a member of our General Assembly. He noted that upon becoming a legislator people started treating him like an object. I come from a family that values public service, period. You know our policymakers as politicians. I hope our profiles help you know them better as people. EdNC wants you to be comfortable walking into the legislature, interacting with the legislators, and participating in state government – it is your government after all.
Check back tomorrow for another leadership profile on the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.
