North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has received recognition for its work in advanced learning programs. The NCDPI has also joined the newly established National Research Center on Advanced Education and announced the acknowledgment of one of its educational leaders.
During a recent State Board of Education meeting, NCDPI announced a collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, American Institutes for Research, Texas A&M University, and the University of Calgary. The partnership also includes education departments from New Jersey and Nebraska and is focused on research and policy related to advanced education programs. Jonathan Plucker leads the research team, with the goal of producing findings that benefit both North Carolina and the broader national education community.
A result of this work is North Carolina’s auto-enrollment law, started in 2018. The rule automatically puts eighth graders into a high school math class if they do well on seventh-grade exams. Reports show that the program has increased participation in advanced learning: 16% of fourth graders are in AIG programs, 31% of eighth graders are taking Math 1, more than half of high school students have taken college-level courses, and 62% of seniors qualify for the NC College Connect program.
A key contributor to this progress is Sneha Shah-Coltrane, who received the David W. Belin Advocacy Award from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). According to the press release, NC Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green said that she has helped ensure that a child’s ZIP code or background does not limit access to advanced coursework. Coltrane has spent more than 30 years in various education roles, focusing on K-12 advanced learning and promoting fair access to these opportunities.
Shah-Coltrane also highlights the teamwork involved in North Carolina’s advanced learning programs. She has worked on initiatives like Project U-STARS~PLUS and helped develop statewide AIG Program Standards, supporting student growth regardless of background. As per the press release, Shah-Coltrane said that receiving the award shows North Carolina is making progress in expanding opportunities in public schools.
