As North Carolinians wait to see if the legislature will comply with court orders to fully fund a sound basic education, teachers and administrators are hard at work across the state. Yet, too many of these school’s leaders have lacked the support and resources necessary to reach their fullest potential. Fully funding a sound basic education would ensure every school has a well-prepared, high-quality, and supported principal in every school. 

“Principals are the friends that students and teachers count on to help them get and give a quality education. In my experience I have found that behind every great school is a great principal,” said NCDP Chair Bobbie Richardson. “It’s long past time that we invest in the people that have dedicated their lives to investing in our students.” 

A fully funded sound basic education would include expanding the NC Principal Fellows and Transforming Principal Preparation program, establishing a plan for a Statewide School Leadership Academy to provide mentorship and training opportunities, and a higher salary. North Carolina ranked 44th nationwide for principal pay last year.