This year when the figures come out in the spring, we will be 19th or 20th. The fact is North Carolina schools are a lot better than a lot of people think they are and we are making more progress than any state in the country, especially when you consider where we started. Gov. Hunt talks with Ligon Middle students about his book First in America. Then he turned back to First in America not only his book title, but his plan for the North Carolina public school system to become the best in the country by 2010. It focuses on five goals.
Every child needs to get a good start in life.
Their parents need to take care of them. They need to be in quality childcare if their parents are working. They need to have good health care. Second, we really need to have excellent teaching. Every child needs to have a good teacher every year.