State leaders lay out ambitious plans for North Carolina's public schools

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- State leaders will lay out their vision for the future on improving North Carolina's public schools.

The plan sets bold targets, including achieving a 92% graduation rate.

Leaders, including State Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice "Mo" Green and others from Wake County will unveil the five-year plan.

On Wednesday, they started with a tour at Centennial Magnet Middle School in Raleigh. Green, Wake County Public School System Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor, and other state and county leaders were on hand inside classrooms.

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The plan aims to position North Carolina's public schools as the best in the United States by 2030.

Taylor said he was excited to work with the state and other counties to reach those goals. It is the first joint plan between the North Carolina State Board of Education and the superintendent.

"As educators, we all know that this is work we cannot do alone," she said. "It involves the engagement of our entire community, and I know this strategic plan is going to set the path to be able to do that."

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"This is for the entire state," Green said. "All of us have to make this plan successful. It will require our parents, our families, our businesses, our communities and precious students."

It outlines eight pillars designed to revolutionize public education statewide, with 100 actions they say will take place.

"One of the things that's in our plan is something that's being launched this year, and that is a new student information system, which will provide them with a wealth of additional information about their students and where they are and what they can do to encourage their students to do even better," Green said. "And then the final thing I'll lift up also related to parents, is something that we'll be doing over the course of the next several years, and that is to have what we call a virtual family academy that will provide a wealth of resources to our families so that they can become the very best educators for their children."