Gov. Easley’s Education Agenda

Check out Gov. Easley's Education Agenda here to find out about how the Governor's initiatives are preparing students for college and work readiness in the 21st century. 

N.C. Learn and Earn Web Site

Visit NCLearnandEarn.gov to find out more information about North Carolina's revolutionary Learn and Earn program. 

Gov. Easley Gives Keynote Address at National Education Conference

Focuses on Increasing High School Graduation Rates, Helping Students Get to College

Raleigh- Gov. Mike Easley today said American education must be reformed to become more innovative and break down the barriers between high school and college so citizens can succeed in the global economy.  Easley's remarks were part of the keynote address he delivered in Washington, D.C. at the Jobs for the Future conference, "Double the Numbers 2007." "We must break down the barriers between high school and college," Easley said.  "No matter where people live, what their economic circumstance, age or school experience, we must help them succeed.  That means we provide every citizen the opportunity to be successful in school and graduate ready for college so they can get a skilled job and become informed, contributing members of their community." The ...

Getting a Head Start on College

Dual degree programs helping at-risk high schoolers keep their focus and their dreams

Dahleen Glanton, Chicago Tribune JAMESTOWN, N.C. -- In many ways, Jequetta Williams is a typical 9th grader. Some days she thinks it would be nice to start a clothing line or own a hair and nail salon. Other days she wants to become a professional singer and dreams of winning a spot on "American Idol." Most of the time, however, Williams has no idea what she wants to be when she grows up. But at age 15, she is already well on her way to whatever career she chooses. By the time she graduates from high school, Williams not only will have earned her high school diploma but will hold an associate's degree, the equivalent of two years of college. In a growing number ...

Detroit Free Press Praises Gov. Easley

State (of Michigan) Defaults on Kids

Rochelle Riley, Detroit Free Press As far as the 148-member Michigan Legislature and one beleaguered governor are concerned, the point of budget deliberations, arguments and competing plans is all business, all jobs, all the time: what taxes businesses should pay, what policies encourage job creation, how best to attract investment, etc. But if they really want to talk about Michigan's future, they have to talk more about Michigan's children. What if all of the budget discussions in Lansing began with: What is best for children? What if the state created a Children First Budget that, by its very nature, would eliminate all the other money the state has to spend on people later in life because they were shortchanged as children? The damage starts ...

Easley Wants Debt-Free Education for Some Students

WXII News RALEIGH- Gov. Mike Easley has made creating a "seamless education system," from pre-kindergarten through college, the hallmark of his time in office. Now he wants to end his tenure by making low-income students a promise found in no other state: earn a four-year degree without going into debt. To do it, students would have to forgo the traditional experience of spending four years on a university campus. Instead, they would earn two years worth of college credit by spending an extra year in high school. Then they would move into college for two years with annual grants of $4,000. That's enough to replace low-interest Stafford loans in the package of federal financial aid offered to low-income students.

Learn and Earn

Learn and Earn allows high school students to take college courses at high school and earn two years of college credit or an associate’s degree with just one extra year of study. Gov. Easley's 2007-2009 budget calls for $19 million to establish Learn and Earn Online so students in any high school in the state can take college courses over the Internet. The Learn and Earn program has been featured in Newsweek magazine as well as CBS Evening News, and recently won the Southern Growth Policies Board Innovator Award for its innovative approach for combating high school dropout and enhancing the ...

EARN Scholarship

In his February 19, 2007 State of the State address, Gov. Easley announced a new initiative, the “EARN” Scholarship, that will send to and graduate more students from college. For low- and moderate-income students, he proposed a major new financial aid program that combines a two-year state grant with current federal assistance that will replace the need for loans if students work 10 hours a week to help pay for their education. Therefore, students who complete the Learn and Earn program with two years of college credit will be able to finish their four-year degree at a state university debt free.

More at Four

More at Four programs are operated in all 100 counties in North Carolina through public school districts, child care centers and Head Start agencies. Nonpublic child care providers are also eligible for the program if they have a four- or five-star license, which are top quality ratings under North Carolina’s child care licensing system All More at Four teachers in the state must have a bachelor’s degree with a birth-K license within four years. The programs are evaluated annually on program quality and child developmental outcomes. In his 2007-2009 budget, Easley has proposed expanding More at Four by 10,000 more slots and increasing the amount-per-slot from proceeds of the N.C. Education Lottery. On ...

Teacher Certification

"It shows that we are making real progress to ensure our students are getting the quality education they deserve," Gov. Mike Easley said in a news release from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. "These professionals have proven they are committed to their profession." NC first in teachers certified nationally; 11/21/01 Wilmington Star This is an outstanding achievement and a true testament to the hard work and dedication our teachers are putting into their profession," Gov. Mike Easley said in a Tuesday statement. North Carolina is the top state for national teacher certification; 11/27/02 High Point Enterprise "North Carolina is committed to retaining high-quality teachers in our schools and this survey gives us the feedback we need to improve our teachers' working ...