On June 24, the North Carolina General Assembly overrode several gubernatorial vetoes, advancing legislation that reaches into our public schools, colleges and universities, and state and local government. While each bill addresses a different policy area, together they tell a larger story about the direction of public education in our state. Further, last week the […]
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:Chanté Russell, Public School Forum of NCcrussell@ncforum.org 919-781-6833 ext. 103 Tickets and Registration Now Open for the 2026 Color of Education Summit Featuring Marley Dias, Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom, and Bishop William Joseph Barber II RALEIGH, NC (June 1, 2026) — Registration is now open for the 9th annual Color of Education Summit, North Carolina’s […]
From Shared Priorities to Shared Power: Why Coordinated Action Matters for Educational Justice
Mapping the Movement reminded us that collective impact requires more than shared concern. It requires partnership, coordination, and action. On May 13, 2026, The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity hosted the third session of Mapping the Movement for the year. Participants did more than identify priorities, they mapped relationships, surfaced policy asks, […]
When Justice Falls Short Our Responsibility Remains
There are moments in this work when the path forward is clear and moments when it is deliberately disrupted. April 2, 2026, was one of those “deliberately disrupted” days. As a graduate from a Leandro district I know this fight for educational justice is one that must continue because there is a constitutional obligation that […]
Dudley Flood Center for Educational Opportunity Announces $525,000 in Grant Funding from Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Conway/Holderness Family Fund
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 27, 2026 | Raleigh, N.C. Dudley Flood Center for Educational Opportunity Announces $525,000 in Grant Funding from Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Conway/Holderness Family Fund Raleigh, NC — The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Opportunity is proud to announce the receipt of a combined $525,000 in grant funding over three years from the […]
One Hundred Years In: Why Black History Demands Collective Vision
As we reflect on more than 100 years of Black history, the question before us is not simply what we remember, but what we choose to build together. Black history has never been a passive record of events, it has been an active blueprint for survival, resistance, and transformation. At every turning point, progress has […]
“I Feel Pressure All Day, Everyday”: Finding Refuge and Resilience on Education’s Front Line
Written by: the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity The education sector faced a climate of volatility in 2025. While districts continued to grapple with the lingering scars of the pandemic, they were simultaneously confronted with waves of challenges. Shifting federal policies, sudden cessation of funding, and immigration enforcement actions increased the volatility […]
Building Bridges for Educational Equity: The Flood Center Story
Written by: Russ Campbell, Burroughs Wellcome Fund When Dr. Dudley Flood helped lead North Carolina’s school desegregation movement decades ago, he could not have foreseen that his legacy would one day inspire a new generation of educators and advocates to carry the torch of equity forward. Yet today, that spirit of courage and collaboration is […]
Playing Charades or Choosing Children?
Originally Published by Public Ed Works RALEIGH (December 17, 2025) – In North Carolina, we are watching a disturbing choice play out in real time: Playing charades over prioritizing the public educational needs of children. At a moment when students and districts are struggling under the weight of unmet needs, legislative theatrics and overreach have […]
NC’s educator pipeline: Urgent need for state action
Originally published by Public Ed Works RALEIGH (December 10, 2025) – In December 2019, North Carolina made a bold and necessary commitment to focus statewide attention on the actions required to recruit and retain a diverse educator workforce. The Developing a Representative and Inclusive Vision for Education (DRIVE) Task Force, appointed by Governor Roy Cooper, produced a landmark […]
A recap of the Color of Education Summit: Recognizing the power in the stories we carry
by Derick Lee, Jyanne Guide, Sophia Luna, Rakyah Jacobs, EdNC.org | October 13, 2025 One million, eight hundred thousand. The weight of that number shifted the atmosphere of the room on the morning of Oct. 4 at the Color of Education Summit. Hundreds of listeners fixed their ears on the words offered by National […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Color of Education 2025 Summit Draws Nearly 700 Attendees, Highlights the Power of Stories to Preserve Legacy and Drive Action
October 6, 2025 Raleigh, NC — The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Opportunity, in partnership with the Public School Forum of North Carolina, Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, and the Center for Child and Family Policy at the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, hosted the 2025 Color of Education Summit on October […]
Dudley Flood Center Announces Inaugural Charlotte Hawkins Brown Fellows Cohort
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 3, 2025 | Raleigh, N.C. Fourteen educators selected statewide to advance instructional excellence, leadership, and opportunity for students The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity announces the inaugural cohort of 14 Charlotte Hawkins Brown (CHB) Fellows, honoring the legacy of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, pioneering educator and founder of the […]
Dudley Flood Center Launches Fourth Cohort of Rural Teacher Leadership Network in Eastern North Carolina
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 28, 2025 37 educators selected across 10 counties will deepen their practice, strengthen teacher leadership, and build a durable rural educator community Last year, the Public School Forum of North Carolina convened the third cohort of the Rural Teacher Leadership Network (RTLN)—a professional learning initiative that brings together diverse rural educators to […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dudley Flood Center Releases Tools and Impact Report to Advance Educator Diversity and Equity in North Carolina
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 20, 2025 Dudley Flood Center Releases Tools and Impact Report to Advance Educator Diversity and Equity in North Carolina Raleigh, NC — The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity recently released three powerful resources designed to accelerate North Carolina’s progress toward building and sustaining a diverse, well-supported educator workforce. The […]
The Backlash Against DEI and Its Effects on High School Students
Written by: Arley | July 2025 This January, a plane crashed at the Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., and 67 people tragically passed in this accident. Shortly after the crash, President Trump held a press conference where he claimed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hires were to blame for the accident. Without offering evidence, he backed […]
Tickets and Registration Now Open for the 2025 Color of Education Summit Featuring Dr. Eve L. Ewing, Tara Roberts, and Dr. John B. King Jr.
MEDIA CONTACT:Chanté Russell, Public School Forum of NCcrussell@ncforum.org919-781-6833 ext. 103 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RALEIGH, NC (July 7, 2025) — Registration is now open for the 8th annual Color of Education Summit, North Carolina’s leading statewide hybrid convening focused on access, and opportunity in public education. The two-day summit will take place October 3–4, 2025, featuring […]
Land of the “free”
Written by: Leandro Carreo | June 2025 Tuesday, November 8th, 2016. I had just gotten off the bus from school. With nerve-wracking anticipation, I approached my mom and asked, “Who won the election?” “Trump did,” she said. With those two words, I could feel a knife pierce my chest, and fear instantly rushed over me […]
Reclaiming Education and Truth: Students Chartering the Path Forward
By KaLa Keaton and Rotimi Kukoyi | May 2025 We believe every child deserves an education that makes them feel seen and heard. We believe every child deserves the tools to fashion their own versions of success. We believe every child deserves to discover their passions in the classroom and find support in a constellation […]
Proactive Steps to Protect and Support Students in North Carolina
For more information: Deanna Townsend-Smith Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity dtownsend-smith@ncforum.org 919-781-6833 x114 RALEIGH, NC (March 17, 2025): The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity is excited to continue the legacy of Dr. Dudley E. Flood, its namesake, in the creation of a new resource outlining proactive steps we as […]
Dudley Flood Center and Western North Carolina Community Members Release Equity Considerations for Hurricane Disaster Relief
For more information:Deanna Townsend-SmithFlood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunitydtownsend-smith@ncforum.org919-781-6833 x114 RALEIGH, NC (February 17, 2025) – The Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity, in collaboration with community members from across Western North Carolina, has created a resource highlighting critical equity considerations for supporting the diverse communities in Western North Carolina. The resource […]
DRIVE Coalition Annual Summit Celebrates Legacy of Black Education and Announces New Fellowship for Educators of Color
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 4, 2025 [Gibsonville, NC] – More than 100 educators, education leaders, and stakeholders from across North Carolina gathered on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at the DRIVE Coalition Annual Summit to honor the enduring legacy of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, Black education and strategize solutions for diversifying the state’s educator workforce. With this […]
A New Year’s Resolution to Make America Great
A New Year, A Bold Opportunity As Americans settle into 2025, many will reflect on the accomplishments of the past year to inform their bold and audacious goals for the future. While I have never personally been big on setting new year’s resolutions, I am a committed advocate of setting fearless goals. The Webster Dictionary […]
Public schools are beacons of hope through crisis and devastation
Written by: Kimberly Jones and Deanna Townsend-Smith Published by WRAL Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024 — As the General Assembly returns to decide disaster relief, it has the ability to uphold its constitutional responsibility by not sending additional monies to support private school vouchers and instead provide the needed funding to support and rebuild our public […]