More Than 100 Candidates for Public Office Attend the Public School Forum’s 2020 North Carolina Education Policy Primer Sessions

For the first time, the Forum will offer an education policy primer session for the general public in September 2020

RALEIGH, NC (September 8, 2020) — The Public School Forum of North Carolina has released the 2020 North Carolina Education Primer, which serves as a fact-based introduction to educational policymaking in NC. The Primer serves as a primary resource for current elected and appointed officials — as well as candidates running for public office — as they tackle education policy issues in the General Assembly, in their local communities, or in their schools. The Primer, which Forum staff utilized in a series of education policy sessions offered in August for candidates running for public office, is a strong resource for anyone interested in learning about education policy in North Carolina.

“Education policy involves a wide range of interconnected issues such as school finance and facilities, accountability and assessment, technology, teachers and so much more,” said Dr. Mary Ann Wolf, President and Executive Director of the Public School Forum of NC. “In order to make well-informed and evidence-based decisions, policymakers face the challenge of studying myriad complex educational issues, and often must be well-versed in them very quickly, which is no easy feat. We hope this year’s Primer continues to be a helpful resource for our state’s public servants.”

The Forum held its biennial Candidate Education Policy primer session virtually during the last two weeks with more than 100 candidates for public office attending, including those running for the NC General Assembly, boards of county commissions, and local boards of education. For the very first time, the Public School Forum is holding an additional virtual session for the general public on September 23, 2020. 

The North Carolina Education Primer and briefing sessions are sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, in an effort to give policymakers and education stakeholders the tools and information to understand the host of complex questions that shape schools and education in North Carolina.