Local Education Innovation: K-64 (Catawba County) K-64 is a five-year education and economic development initiative in Catawba County that prepares students from pre-kindergarten (K) through retirement (64) to compete in the global economy and supports local companies by creating a … Read more

Local Education Innovation: Gold Rush Grant (Mecklenburg County) The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) launched its Gold Rush Grant program in 2016. The program seeks to mitigate barriers to timely graduation through the granting of one-time completion … Read more

In 2014, stakeholders in Wilson County developed a comprehensive master plan to improve life outcomes for local youth. Participating stakeholders included educators, parents, community members, nonprofits, businesses, churches, law enforcement, and government agencies. The groups identified five key, interrelated areas … Read more

Wake Technical Community College plans to train 450 people for information technology (IT) jobs in healthcare, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and financial services through Project SECURE—Supporting and Enhancing Cybersecurity through Upwardly-Mobile Retraining and Education. This training will be supported by the federal … Read more

Local Education Innovation: STEP (Edgecombe and Nash Counties) The Strategic Twin Counties Education Partnership—STEP for short—is a unique initiative between several stakeholder groups in Edgecombe and Nash counties, including local industries, two county school systems, and two community colleges. This cradle-to-career … Read more

The ncIMPACT Initiative issued this report that profiles 10 efforts—which we refer to as “Bright Spots”—that demonstrate how local communities are working to increase educational attainment in North Carolina. Their efforts reflect the fact that, across our state, there is … Read more

Pre-kindergarten education (Pre-K) is increasingly recognized as an integral part of efforts to help close the achievement gaps that exist at the time children enter kindergarten and can persist until they enter the workforce. Whether a third grader reads at … Read more

Work in Burke Work in Burke is a unique education program that shows job seekers how to identify the right job for them. Anita Brown-Graham gets the details on this innovative local and scalable solution. Digital Extra 1:Changing students’ perceptions … Read more

Host Anita Brown-Graham looks at how veterans can better transition into the civilian workforce. Training Veterans for Civilian Work: For More Information The Challenge – What is the problem communities are facing? Report on Veteran Entrepreneurs & Capital Access Best … Read more

The Local Talent Pipeline in Alamance County Many businesses across North Carolina say they struggle to find quality workers.  We look at the impact of an apprenticeship program in Alamance County that addresses the immediate need for skilled workers and … Read more