North Carolina Schools Initiative Expands to Include More Middle Schools
In an effort to broaden the impact of personalized education, four additional middle schools in North Carolina have been chosen to join the Personalized, Competency-Based Education (PCBE) Cohort. This move increases the total number of schools involved in the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative to 19. This five-year, $25 million initiative is funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation and is supported by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) in collaboration with Marzano Resources.
New Schools Join the Initiative
The schools newly added to the PCBE Cohort are:
- North Davie Middle School, Davie County Schools
- Overhills Middle School, Harnett County Schools
- Rockingham County Middle School, Rockingham County Schools
- West McDowell Middle School, McDowell County Schools
These schools join five others originally announced in June 2025, bringing the PCBE Cohort total to nine. They will work alongside the 10 schools in the Transformative Schools (TS) Cohort, which began the initiative last summer.
Comments from Educational Leaders
North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, saying, “The energy and commitment I have seen across the first 15 Golden LEAF schools is inspiring, and these four new schools will only add to the momentum.” He observed positive changes in school culture and student engagement during his visits and anticipates continued improvement in academic performance.
Focus on Instructional Transformation
The PCBE Cohort is dedicated to transforming instruction by helping schools shift towards Competency-Based Education (CBE). This approach personalizes learning, deepens mastery of core subjects, and prepares students for future educational stages. Meanwhile, the TS Cohort is supported through the implementation of the Marzano High Reliability Schools (HRS) Framework and the Open Up Resources Problem-Based Math Curriculum.
Rigorous Selection Process
The selection of new schools involved a stringent application and evaluation process, including interviews with key district stakeholders such as superintendents and curriculum leaders.
Scott T. Hamilton, President and CEO of Golden LEAF, emphasized the initiative’s significance: “In rural and economically distressed communities, these middle schools are implementing focused, evidence-based strategies that are preparing students for the careers and workforce needs of our state. The level of engagement from teachers, students and school leaders is both evident and encouraging.”
Empowering Educational Environments
The Golden LEAF Schools Initiative is grounded in the Marzano HRS model, aimed at creating safe and efficient school environments. This model promotes high-quality instruction aligned with clear goals, uses ongoing assessments to address individual student needs, and fosters a culture of growth and innovation.
Participating schools benefit from intensive coaching and resources, which enhance student learning experiences, build professional capacity, and improve educational settings. They also receive resources for math and career readiness, as well as funding for travel, stipends, and bonuses.
Commitment to Educational Excellence
Rachel Wright Junio, Director of the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative at the NCDPI, praised the readiness of the new schools: “Each of these four schools demonstrated not just interest in this work, but genuine readiness to lead it. PCBE asks schools to rethink how students demonstrate mastery, and that takes courage and clarity.” With 19 schools now committed to this effort, the initiative is a testament to what educators in rural North Carolina believe is possible for their students.
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