North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aiming to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. State and local officials are working to determine what the impact will be on North Carolina’s public schools. 

Democrat Mo Green is a former superintendent who seeks to "celebrate the good" in public education, a field he's worked in for over a decade. Republican candidate Michele Morrow is a homeschooler who believes public schools, as they’re currently run, are "dangerous" for kids.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has been exploring ways to change how school performance grades are calculated in the state for over two years. But with pending legislation and an upcoming change in leadership, the work to redesign the system is currently on pause.

The graduation rate for Guilford County Schools last year surpassed the state average by roughly 5%. It was also higher than other large school districts like Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg. 

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released school performance grades this week. Nine Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools moved up a letter grade including Cook Literacy Model School, which used to be classified as one of the lowest-performing schools in the state. 

North Carolina teacher attrition rates were up about 4% last year compared to the year before.  Officials say the data indicates a need for stronger beginning teacher support.