North Carolina offers one of the nation’s most renowned education systems, supplying companies a steady stream of talented workers while providing its citizens ample opportunities to learn, grow and thrive in the 21st Century economy.
North Carolina’s education commitment is evident in its leadership in:
- Early education, especially pre-kindergarten programs
- Public schools where students are performing above national averages
- Higher education system where we educate more than 300,000 students a year.
Early Education
North Carolina ranks among the top four states nationally for state pre-kindergarten quality standards according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.
Smart Start is our award-winning early childhood initiative designed to ensure children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. The program makes health education and screening available, improves child care facilities and provides subsidies to working families for high-quality child care.
The More at Four pre-kindergarten program improves the educational potential of children who will be entering kindergarten the following year and are at risk for poor school outcomes. The curricula focuses on enhancing school readiness by addressing emotional, social, physical, language and cognitive needs.
K-12
North Carolina is the leading state for National Board Certified teachers, accounting for one-fifth of those nationally and 10% of the state’s teachers, library media coordinators and guidance counselors. We rank in the top 10 in SAT participation and the state’s average total scores exceed the Southeast’s average.
North Carolina issues the N.C. School Report Card to measure progress and keep parents and others informed and involved in our schools. We also participate in the National Association of Education Progress (NAEP), often called "the Nation’s Report Card" that compares North Carolina favorably with the performance of students across the nation.
To prepare students for higher education, our New Schools Project, with $20 million in funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, awards grants to create small, personalized high schools that are firmly connected to workplace knowledge and skills. The Learn and Earn Early College Program offers a five-year high school/ college program to provide incentives for students to remain in school and prepare for high-skilled, well-paying jobs in new and emerging industries.
Higher Education
The North Carolina Community College System offers affordable, accessible programs through its 58-campus network that are within a 30-minute commute of 99% of the state’s population. The system is recognized nationally for its customized workforce training programs and offers a wide variety of occupational certification and continuing education programs.
Sixteen constituent campuses comprise the University of North Carolina System, including the first public university in the nation. They confer their highest concentration of degrees in the fields of business and management, the social sciences, communications, education, engineering, health professions, psychology and public affairs. With strong financial support from the state, the UNC System is one of the least expensive in the country, with tuition below the national average.
Several internationally renowned universities - Duke University, N.C. State University, Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – provide a strong research foundation and a steady influx of knowledge workers.
In addition, we host 36 non-profit private colleges and universities that are affiliated with 14 different religious denominations.
For more information, download the 
Quality Education Systems Chapter of our Fact Book or refer to the following links:
Related Links
Governor Easley's Education Initiatives
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
New Schools Project
North Carolina Community College System
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities
North Carolina Smart Start
University of North Carolina System