RALEIGH, N.C. (NCN News) – As partisan debates continue over teacher pay and other school funding issues, Democratic Governor Josh Stein, Republican Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, and GOP Speaker of the House Destin Hall announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education Tuesday (March 10).
“Excellent public schools create meaningful opportunity for every North Carolinian to succeed,” said Stein in a press release announcing the commission. “This commission represents a bipartisan commitment and an opportunity to make North Carolina’s public schools the best in the nation.”
“The educational opportunities in North Carolina open a world of possibilities for our citizens,” said Berger. “It’s imperative that we continue to work collaboratively to ensure North Carolinians have the skills they need to enter the workforce. We need everyone — business leaders, educators, and policymakers — to come together to meet the real-world needs of our students. I look forward to seeing the proposals this group suggests to improve educational outcomes for all students.”
“North Carolina has the talent and the foundation to become a national leader in education, and we intend to do just that,” said Hall. “By bringing top educators, business leaders, and elected officials to the same table, this new commission will take an honest look at what’s working and what isn’t in our public schools. I look forward to collaborating with them to strengthen schools across our state.”
The Blue Ribbon Commission is tasked with examining teacher training and student advancement, administrative operations, educational leadership, and accountability. Members of the Blue Ribbon Commission were jointly appointed by the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House.
The commission includes representatives from the public and private sector and members of the General Assembly from both parties.
An executive order from the Stein notes the commission will meet “upon the call of the chair(s) or the joint call of the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Commission may conduct meetings using electronic conferencing or other electronic means.”
The order calls for a final report to be released by Dec. 31, 2026.
The announcement comes one day after Stein proposed a $1.4 billion-dollar critical needs budget that would include teacher raises. Hall said the house has already approved higher raises, but the budget remains at an impasse between the house and senate over other issues including funding for a standalone children’s hospital in the Triangle.
Members Appointed to the Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education
- Anne Faircloth, President, Buffalo Investments & Lafayette Farms (Commission co-chair)
- Dr. Don Martin, Chair, Forsyth County Board of Commissioners (Commission co-chair)
- Maurice “Mo” Green, Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Senator Jay Chaudhuri
- Senator Kevin Corbin
- Senator Dana Jones
- Senator Brad Overcash
- Senator Gladys Robinson
- Representative Cynthia Ball
- Representative Brian Biggs
- Representative Tricia Cotham
- Representative Brandon Lofton
- Representative David Willis
- Eric Davis, Chair, State Board of Education
- Brenda Berg, President & CEO, BEST NC
- Dr. Connie Book, President, Elon University
- Teresa Branch, School Board Member, Caldwell County Schools
- Matt Bristow-Smith, Principal, Edgecombe Early College High School, Edgecombe County Public Schools
- Dr. Jonathan Bryant, Chief Administrator, Lincoln Charter, Lincoln County
- Dr. Del Burns, Retired Superintendent, Wake County
- Allen E. Gant, Jr., Chairman, Glen Raven, Inc.
- Dr. Jason Gardner, Superintendent, Mooresville Graded School District
- Lisa Godwin, Beginning Teacher Coach, Pender County Schools
- Peter Hans, President, University of North Carolina System
- Dr. Bill Harrison, Chair, North Carolina Public School Forum
- Marisha Merchant, Teacher, Onslow County Schools
- Anna Spangler Nelson, Chair, Spangler Companies, Inc.
- Dr. Robert P. Taylor, Superintendent, Wake County Public School System