Under what's called the ABCs plan, North Carolina's standards are rising for educator and student alike. This reform commands bipartisan support in the Legislature, largely because of Gov. Jim Hunt's leadership. Indeed, he chaired the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, which concluded in 1996 that teachers' expertise is the most important factor behind student achievement. Schools will improve only when states invest more money in the recruitment, training and retention of competent teachers. With that premise in mind, North Carolina has made better teaching its No. 1 priority, and it expects every school to set goals for improvement.
Poor performance can bring severe consequences.
They also enjoy freedom to make decisions, as North Carolina slashes bureaucracies and pushes control down to the school level. North Carolina now tests all prospective teachers, first on their knowledge of content and then on their ability to teach. Once hired, a teacher undergoes a four-year probation. The process for dismissing teachers has been streamlined from months to just 47 days. Meanwhile, principals no longer enjoy the safety net of tenure.