Expectation 3

Education System is Accessible and High-Quality

North Carolina’s birth-through-age-eight education system is available to all, user-friendly, culturally-competent, employs a racially diverse, high-quality workforce, and supports all aspects of children’s development, including literacy and language development, cognition, approaches to learning, physical well-being, and social-emotional development.

Home Pathways Action Map Education System is Accessible and High-Quality

Prioritized Actions

Click on an action below to learn more about it and some key initiatives in North Carolina.

North Carolina’s youngest children have access (including availability, convenience and affordability) to early care and education programs and supports prior to kindergarten entry, including child care, Early Head Start, Head Start, Title I, and NC Pre-K.

Action 3.1

Education System is Accessible and High-Quality

Prioritized Actions

North Carolina’s youngest children have access (including availability, convenience and affordability) to early care and education programs and supports prior to kindergarten entry, including child care, Early Head Start, Head Start, Title I, and NC Pre-K.

Increase Access to Infant and Toddler Care

Provide Wrap-Around Services for High Quality Early Care and Education

Expand Child Care Subsidies for Children

Raise Child Care Subsidy Rates

Provide Higher Subsidy Rates to Providers in Underserved Communities

North Carolina’s children have the opportunity to learn in environments that are culturally relevant and free from systemic racism and cultural and racial implicit bias.

Recruit and Retain Educators and School Leaders of Color

Adopt Research-Based Standards for Culturally-Relevant Teaching

Provide Professional Development for Teachers on Cultural Competency and Working with Families

Ensure Curricula and Materials are Culturally Relevant

Ensure Education Accountability Systems are Culturally Relevant

Adapt K-3 School Funding System to Increase Equity

North Carolina’s children, especially those with the most roadblocks to opportunity, have well-trained, high-quality teachers and school leaders, from birth-through-third grade.

Increase Standards and Compensation of Birth-through-Age-Five Educators

Support Incentives to Ensure High Quality Educators in High Need Schools and Early Education Programs

Adjust Hiring Practices to Ensure High-Quality Educators

Create Collaborative Birth-through-Third Grade Professional Development

Provide Research-Informed Professional Development

North Carolina’s early learning environments support and promote children’s social-emotional development and executive functioning.

Eliminate or Minimize Suspension and Expulsion

Prepare Teachers to Build Specific Student Skills Needed for Success

Require Specific Educator and Administrator Professional Development for Building Positive School Climates

Hire Sufficient Support Staff

Invest in School Health and Mental Health Staff and Clinics

Support Schools and Child Care Programs to Engage Deeply with Families