Resources: Dr Callie Womble Edwards

Despite decades of school reform initiatives focused on closing the racialized achievement gap, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students continue to experience systemic barriers to a…

This pilot study, funded by a Friday Institute and NC State College of Education Catalyst Grant, set out to examine how early childhood education (ECE) programs in North Carolina community colleges navigated the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction In 2019, myFutureNC announced the postsecondary attainment goal of having two million North Carolinians between the ages of 25-44 hold a high-quality credential or…

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the suspension of face-to-face instruction in schools around the globe, requiring schools and educators to begin teaching online with little to no time for professional development to aid them in the transition. Literature nationwide reveals that while educators transitioned quickly from traditional face-to-face learning to digital platforms for remote teaching, many were ill-prepared, and in too many instances educational experiences were deficient in best practices for online learning (Foulger et al., 2020). This study (Insight Study), an exploratory qualitative study, was conducted to better understand the classroom, school and district-level challenges North Carolina educators were facing one year into the pandemic. A total of 18 educators participated in the study, including classroom educators across nine disciplines, representing seven of the eight educational districts in North Carolina. Data were collected from 60-minute semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups facilitated virtually via Zoom during fall 2021. Overwhelmingly, study participants wanted more support for themselves and their colleagues concerning engaging with their students given their “new normal” of COVID-19. They shared their current areas of growth, ways in which they believe the current political landscape is impacting these areas of growth, and which online professional development design features they feel are most impactful to their growth and development.

Visitation Catholic School developed an action plan around the implementation of social and emotional learning.

This policy brief extends the work of the 2022 NC PreK-12 Literacy & Equity Summit. It draws from a statewide educator questionnaire and focus group data to put forward six recommendations to strengthen North Carolina's Literacy Learning Ecosystem.

Published in spring 2022, Meeting the Moment: Strategic Recommendations for Literacy & Equity in North Carolina centers educator voices toward providing insights into the Literacy…

This case study details the implementation and impact of the Learning Differences program at Manning Elementary School (MES) in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Section one provides an overview of the Learning Differences program. Section two describes how the Learning Differences program was implemented at MES and how data were collected. Section three draws on qualitative and quantitative data to illustrate the program’s impact on MES teachers and students. Section four discusses the seven key lessons learned from the implementation process. The authors intend for this case study to be a practical resource that schools and districts can reference as they implement their own learning differences initiatives.

This case study details the implementation and impact of the Learning Differences program at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School (CCMMS) in Raleigh, North Carolina. Section one provides an overview of the Learning Differences program. Section two describes how the Learning Differences program was implemented at CCMMS and how data were collected. Section three draws on qualitative and quantitative data to illustrate nine key lessons learned from the implementation process as well as the program’s impact on students. The authors intend for this case study to be a practical resource that schools and districts can reference as they implement their own learning differences initiatives.

From January-December 2021, five school districts participated in The Innovation Project’s (TIP) Early Learning Network, an initiative that centers equity in addressing vulnerable children’s learning needs. Participants on district teams underwent the Liberatory Design Process—a seven step approach to centering equity in reimagining and redesigning educational interventions. Researchers from the Program Evaluation and Education Research (PEER) Group from the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation sought to better understand (1) how the design process impacted district teams and (2) the supports and barriers to design thinking and how to improve the design thinking process. Through case study methodology that incorporated focus group interviews, one-on-one interviews and artifact analysis, the researchers found that notions of accountability and intentionality, the awareness of self and others, and the development of community partnerships were impactful for districts conducting this equity work. Further, intradistrict dynamics, the availability of resources, team-level dynamics and non-linear processes frequently acted as supports and barriers to successful implementation of the Liberatory Design Process.