16 Mar North Carolina Launches Statewide Partnership with Hope Street Group

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), together with the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), is pleased to announce a new statewide partnership with Hope Street Group, a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization known for its influential teacher engagement work.

Hope Street Group will bring its successful state teacher engagement program to North Carolina in 2015. Designed to elevate the teaching profession and connect educators to education policy, the year-long opportunity will provide North Carolina teachers with training and resources to identify teaching challenges and propose solutions to district and state policy-makers.

“As a teacher myself, I understand the benefits of taking lessons learned in the classroom and applying them to decisions made at the state level. I am excited to have Hope Street Group assist our North Carolina teachers in their quest to become the best educators possible for North Carolina’s children,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson.

“Participating North Carolina teachers are taught how to transform their passion for teaching into an actionable tool for improving the broader teaching profession. As stewards of our children’s education, it is imperative that teachers play an integral, empowered role in informing education policy,” said Dan Cruce, vice president of education at Hope Street Group.

The collaborative statewide program has already been implemented in Hawaii and Kentucky and will also be replicated in 2015 in other states, including Tennessee.
Teachers participating in the program to date have been overwhelmingly impressed with their experience. Kentucky program participant Sarah Yost said, “It’s been an amazing experience. After my work with Hope Street Group, I feel more empowered and better respected as an educator. It makes me feel that I can effect real change without leaving the classroom, and my leadership has inspired others to do the same.”

The Hope Street Group North Carolina Teacher Voice Network will have access to a variety of professional development and training opportunities, including peer engagement, data collection and communications strategies. They will collect data from thousands of their colleagues to present to NCDPI. They will also serve as leaders within their own school communities.

“It is so important to support, listen and act on solutions from our teachers who are committed to the profession. I’m excited to have Hope Street Group help North Carolina educators learn how to further uplift the profession for themselves and their peers,” said NCAE Executive Director Rachelle Johnson.

Teachers selected will represent a broad range of outstanding teachers dedicated to working toward improvements for their colleagues and their students. If you are a North Carolina teacher and are interested in learning more about applying, please visit: apply.hopestreetgroup.org.

About the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction:
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides leadership to 115 local public school districts and 126 charter schools serving over 1.5 million students in kindergarten through high school graduation. The agency is responsible for all aspects of the state’s public school system and works under the direction of the North Carolina State Board of Education.

For more information:
NCDPI Communication and Information Division, 919.807.3450.

For the original press release, please see here.