RALEIGH — The organization created to assist districts with communications and learning gaps during the COVID-19 pandemic has announced the names of its advisory board members.
The North Carolina Education Corps (NCEC) has named the following 20 individuals to its board of advisors:
- Governor Jim Hunt, Honorary Co-Chair
- Governor Jim Martin, Honorary Co-Chair
- Susanna Cerrato, Teacher, Asheville City Schools, 2020 Western North Carolina Region Teacher of the Year
- Rep. Ashton Clemmons, member, North Carolina General Assembly
- Caroline Farmer, Executive Director North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, Office of the Governor
- Peter Hans, President, University of North Carolina System
- Tyronna Hooker, Executive Director, Alamance Achieves
- Craig Horn, former member, North Carolina General Assembly
- Anthony Jackson, Superintendent, Vance County Schools, 2020 North Carolina Superintendent of the Year
- Susan Jamison, Founder, Wealth Matters, LLC
- Phil Kirk, former chair, North Carolina State Board of Education
- Sen. Michael Lee, member, North Carolina General Assembly
- Steven Pearson, U.S. Corporate Social Responsibility Leader, IBM
- MariaRosa Rangel, Director of Family and Community Engagement, Wake County Public School System
- Munro Richardson, Executive Director, Read Charlotte
- Lee Roberts, Managing Partner, SharpVue Capital, former State Budget Director
- Thomas Stith, President, North Carolina Community College System
- Catherine Truitt, State Superintendent, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
- Mike Ward, former North Carolina State Superintendent
- Hope Williams, President, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities
“North Carolina Education Corps has always been needed – and it is needed now more than ever. We are proud of North Carolinians who are stepping up to support teachers and students in this difficult time, and we need all types of people to contribute to this effort,” Honorary Co-Chairs Governor Jim Hunt and Jim Martin said in a joint statement.
Additionally, NCEC announced State Board of Education member James Ford and the State Board of Education’s Director of Board Operations and Policy Deanna Townsend-Smith would be acting as liaisons to the NCEC Board of Advisors.
In the announcement of the board, it was noted that districts can still apply to partner with NCEC in the 2021-2022 school year through www.nceducationcorps.org, but applications need to be in by May 20.
On April 28, the State Board of Education approved a request by NCEC for half a million dollars in funding from private donors that is being funneled through the N.C. Education Fund.
The grant money will actually first come through FAST NC which “accepts donations through the existing NC Education Fund.” The steering committee for FAST NC includes NCEC’s Board Chair Mike Ward, who served as N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1996 to 2004.
A records request filed by North State Journal with the Department of Public Instruction produced four donations as of April 2021 totaling $900,000.
- $500,000.00 – Foundation for the Carolinas (01/12/2021)
- $100,000.00 – C D Spangler Foundation INC (01/28/2021)
- $200,000.00 – SECU Foundation (02/23/2021)
- $100,000.00 – Mebane Charitable Foundation Inc (03/31/2021)
NCEC’s first round of funds, around $100,000, was released by Governor Cooper in November of 2020 from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, which is part of the federal CARES Act.
