Gates & Henderson Counties Schools are grappling with the topic of school safety from a number of different angles, including increasing school mental health personnel and services, increasing security measures at schools, and decreasing incidents of bullying. ncIMPACT highlights the … Read more

Duplin & Watauga Counties Police departments across the U.S. are battling an officer shortage. Recruiters blame the hot job market and skepticism about law enforcement as a career choice. ncIMPACT highlights local solutions that are attracting qualified applicants to pursue … Read more

Alamance & Craven Counties Following a year of school closings and virtual learning, more than half of K-12 teachers say students have experienced significant learning loss.

(Beaufort, Pitt & Sampson Counties) Farmers across North Carolina are facing a crisis of compounding issues that are threatening their mental health and that of their families. Farmers are among the most likely to die by suicide, compared to other … Read more

As the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy remains at the forefront of many minds. From supply chain issues to staffing shortages currently facing many businesses, the pandemic has been challenging for small businesses. After the 2008 economic … Read more

Local governments across North Carolina adopt resolutions committing to measures of sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. These resolutions are designed to initiate a plan for communities to “develop a vision and implement long-term goals that address challenges” around sustainable practices, … Read more

Educational leaders across the state are working to help more residents obtain post-secondary credentials. The 58 community colleges in North Carolina are using federal recovery funds to help support students outside of school, so they focus on completing their academic … Read more

Finding safe and affordable housing is a challenge that faces many in our nation. Those who lack the resources to afford safe housing are forced to reside in substandard housing, which creates one or more safety hazards for its occupants. … Read more

 In recent years, coastal North Carolina experienced increasing severe weather events. This issue is critical in the Cape Fear Region of the state, where two devastating hurricanes caused significant damage in the past five years. In 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused … Read more

Exclusionary discipline practices – including suspensions, expulsions, and referrals to the courts – negatively impact both students and their communities. Students of color and students with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by these practices as they are more likely to be suspended, expelled, and referred to court. In North Carolina, school-based referrals make up about 40% of the referrals to the juvenile justice system. Most of these referrals are for minor, nonviolent offenses. In the 2016-2017 school year, 92% of school-based referrals were for misdemeanors.