History
The history of education in North Carolina reflects the state's development from its rural, agrarian beginnings to its position in the modern era as a major industrial and technological state. [1] [2]
Early Education: In the colonial period, education was primarily provided by private tutors or religious institutions. The first public school in North Carolina was established in New Bern in 1749.
Rise of Public Education: The 19th century saw the rise of public education in North Carolina, with the state's first public school system established in 1839. However, public education was not available to all children, particularly those in the mountains, the rural areas and African American children
Education Reform: In the early 20th century, North Carolina underwent a period of education reform, with Governor Charles B. Aycock leading efforts to improve teacher training, school facilities, and curriculum. This period also saw the establishment of the North Carolina Community College System
Integration and Desegregation: The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s brought about significant changes in education in North Carolina, including the integration of schools and the desegregation of higher education institutions
Modernization and Innovation: Since the 1980s, North Carolina has continued to modernize and innovate in education, with a focus on technology, teacher training, and accountability. The state has also implemented various reforms, such as the Read to Achieve program, to improve student outcomes
Before 1900
Education was a low priority in the colonial era. Wealthy families provided tutors for the white children on the plantation. Some local Anglican Churches had small schools. A few private academies operated in the towns, providing the 3R basics: reading, writing and 'rithmetic. One teacher handled grades 1 to 8 in a single room. The first small public school opened in New Bern in 1749, designed as a charity for poor families who could not afford tuition at an academy. In the early 19th century conditions remained poor; textbooks were seldom available; homework and exams were not used. Teachers had a year or two schooling beyond 8th grade. Many schools adopted the "Lancasterian system", whereby the only paid teacher taught a few of the older students and they in turn taught the younger ones, usually by everyone reciting in unison. [3] [4]
By 1852 there were forty-two private academies in operation, and 30 private colleges, with most of them surviving only a few years. There was no system of public schools, and the one public university at Chapel Hill was a small operation with 230 students in 1850. Dramatic changes happened in the 1850s, under the leadership of Calvin H. Wiley, a Whig modernizer. According to Harlow Giles Unger, in 12 years as state superintendent of education, 1853 to 1865, Wiley overcame traditionalistic opposition among small farmers who saw no need to waste their children's time on schooling. Wiley appealed to the Whig vision progress in establishing the South's first modern system of public education. He founded the state education association to drum up local support; helped set up teacher training institutions; imposed standards and examining boards for teachers; mandated annual teacher certification; coordinated county school units with school superintendents and boards; and above all he crusaded for universal white education as a vehicle for ensuring the state's economic prosperity. [5] In statistical terms the North Carolina schools were growing. According to Wiley's reports, from 1853 to 1869 the number of schools grew 23% to 3,082; enrollment climbed 25% to 119,000; the number of licensed teachers tripled from 800 to 2,752; and public expenditures soared 85% to $278,000. [6] Enrollment doubled at the university, reaching 456 in 1858, making it second only to Yale. [7] Most schools largely closed during down during the Civil War of 1861-1865 as many teachers and students enlisted, and soaring inflation ruined private endowments.
From 1900 to 2023
In comparison with all the states, North Carolina ranked poorly across the 20th century and early 21st century. In 2021 in Educastion Week Chance-for-Success Index it ranked #28 out of the 50 states and DC. This index combines information from 13 indicators that span a person’s life from cradle to career. [8] [9] In 2014 it ranked as average in most indicators. It was a poor #42 in finance, and a good #10 in "Standards, assessments, and accountability." [10]
North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia to the southwest, and Tennessee to the west. The state is the 28th-largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. Along with South Carolina, it makes up the Carolinas region of the East Coast. In the 2020 census, the state had a population of 10,439,388. Raleigh is the state's capital and Charlotte is its largest city. The Charlotte metropolitan area, with a population of 2,728,933 in 2020, is the most-populous metropolitan area in North Carolina, the 21st-most populous in the United States, and the largest banking center in the nation after New York City. The Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC Combined Statistical Area is the second-largest metropolitan area in the state and 32nd-most populous in the United States, with a population of 2,238,315 in 2020, and is home to the largest research park in the United States, Research Triangle Park.
The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC System to differentiate it from its flagship, UNC-Chapel Hill.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. After being chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolling students in 1795, making it one of the oldest public universities in the United States.
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina system. Its history is intertwined with that of the Lumbee nation.
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte) is a public research university in Charlotte, North Carolina. UNC Charlotte offers 24 doctoral, 66 master's, and 79 bachelor's degree programs through nine colleges. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".
The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, the region is home to three major research universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, respectively. The "Triangle" name originated in the 1950s with the creation of Research Triangle Park located between the three anchor cities, which is the largest research park in the United States and home to numerous high tech companies.
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) is a two-year, public residential high school with two physical campuses located in Durham, North Carolina and Morganton, North Carolina that focuses on the intensive study of science, mathematics and technology. It accepts rising juniors from across North Carolina and enrolls them through senior year. Although NCSSM is a public school, enrollment is extremely selective, and applicants undergo a competitive review process for admission. NCSSM is a founding member of the National Consortium of Secondary Stem Schools (NCSSS) and a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system.
Walter H. Dalton is an American attorney and politician who served as the 33rd Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, he served six terms in the state senate before his election to the office of lieutenant governor in 2008.
Frank Porter Graham was an American educator and political activist. A professor of history, he was elected President of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1930, and he later became the first President of the consolidated University of North Carolina system.
Charles Duncan McIver was the founder and first president of the institution now known as The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
June St. Clair Atkinson was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2004, in a race that was decided by the North Carolina General Assembly on August 23, 2005. She was re-elected in 2008 and 2012.
The University of North Carolina School of Medicine is a professional school within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It offers a Doctor of Medicine degree along with combined Doctor of Medicine / Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Medicine / Master of Public Health degrees.
Charles Lee Coon (1868–1927) was a teacher, school administrator, child labor reformer, and advocate for African American education. Coon was born near Lincolnton, North Carolina, and attended Concordia College in Conover, North Carolina. In addition to teaching, Coon worked as superintendent of Salisbury, North Carolina schools; North Carolina African American normal schools; and Wilson County, North Carolina schools. Coon was also involved in social welfare, serving as president of the Wilson Welfare League and secretary of the North Carolina Child Labor Committee.
The Culture of North Carolina is a subculture in the United States. As one of the original Thirteen Colonies, North Carolina culture has been greatly influenced by early settlers of English, Scotch-Irish, Scotch, German, and Swiss descent. Likewise, African Americans have had great cultural influence in North Carolina, first coming as enslaved people during colonial times. From slavery to freedom, they have helped shape things such as literary traditions, religious practices, cuisine, music, and popular culture.
Over 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students live in campus housing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during a regular school year. Forty residence halls are grouped into 16 residential communities across campus.
All professional employees of public schools must hold a license for the subject or grade level they teach or for the professional assignment they hold. Licenses are issued in administrative, supervisory, student service, and teaching areas. Teaching areas encompass birth through kindergarten, elementary (K-6), middle grades (6-9), secondary grades (9-12), special subjects (K-12), exceptional children (K-12), and vocational education. The standard basis for license is the completion of a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) approved education program at an accredited college or university.
The Rowan-Salisbury School System is a PK–12 graded school district in North Carolina covering nearly all of Rowan County including the city of Salisbury. The second largest employer in the county, the system's 35 schools serve 20,000 students as of 2013–2014. Salisbury split off from the original county-wide system in 1921, but merged back into the county system in 1989.
Chris Evans Folk (1930–2010) served in the office of School Community Relations for the Charlotte Mecklenburg County Schools during desegregation, in North Carolina, United States.
William Thornton Whitsett was an American educator, poet, author, historian, and genealogist. He was the founder of the Whitsett Institute, an academy for the education of young men in Guilford County, North Carolina. The town of Whitsett grew up around the institute. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina and earned his Ph.D. at North Carolina College in Mt. Pleasant, North Carolina.
Carver College was a junior college that served African American students in Charlotte, North Carolina. The college operated as the black counterpart to Charlotte College from 1949 to 1963. After merging with the Central Industrial Education Center, the school became Central Piedmont Community College.
