After nearly two years, North Carolina’s revision of its academic standards is nearly complete. The North Carolina State Board of Education today approved new English Language Arts standards for implementation in the 2018-2019 school year.

Earlier this week, the NC Chamber joined several other organizations in urging the Board to take final action on this issue. The newly approved standards are written by North Carolina educators, following a long and transparent process. For the past two years, the State Board and a separate Academic Standards Review Commission collected public comment and input from parents, teachers, the business community and policymakers.

The Board’s careful action makes our already high standards even stronger.

Now, the State Board should carefully monitor implementation of the standards at the classroom level. With more than a year to prepare, it is imperative that teachers get the support they need to fully understand changes.

In addition, the Board needs to complete final revisions to the grades K through 8 math standards, which are expected in the summer.

It is vital the business community stay involved on this issue. Maintaining high standards is critical for workforce development. We will continue to monitor progress and keep you updated.

Gary J. Salamido
Vice President, Government Affairs
North Carolina Chamber