Building Great Schools Across North Carolina: Leadership, Growth, and Statewide Impact
Across North Carolina, more than 1.5 million students attend public schools in communities large and small, from rural towns to growing urban regions. Families want the same thing for their children: a great education that helps them learn, grow, and build strong futures. Expanding access to high-quality schools depends on strong leadership, innovative thinking, and sustained support for the educators and leaders building schools that reflect the needs of their communities.
That is the work at the heart of Great Schools North Carolina (GSNC).
In its 2025 Annual Impact Report, GSNC highlights a year of meaningful progress in strengthening school leadership and expanding access to high-quality public school options across the state. Through targeted grants, leadership development, and strategic training, GSNC supported 7 leaders and schools, serving 4,000+ students in communities across North Carolina, helping ensure more students can learn in environments designed to support their success.
A central focus of GSNC’s work is leadership. Great schools begin with strong leaders, and GSNC works alongside founders and school leaders who are launching new schools, improving school quality, and building sustainable organizations that can serve students for years to come. In 2025, GSNC deepened its leadership programming through statewide trainings focused on governance, facilities, communications, and targeted support across adaptive leadership, academic excellence, operational efficiency, and financial sustainability. These programs bring leaders together to learn from one another, strengthen their skills, and build networks that help schools deliver consistent, high-quality experiences for students.
As Executive Director Madeline Hannigan shares in her letter, “Great schools do not happen by chance. They happen when great leaders, strong communities, and the right supports come together.” That belief continues to guide GSNC’s work across the state.
The year also brought major milestones across the GSNC network. Schools secured permanent facilities, charter school renewals, and welcomed their first students, expanding access to high-quality learning environments for families and communities. GSNC also launched its first Founder’s Fellows cohort, supporting leaders who are designing innovative school models to meet students' evolving needs.
Beyond individual schools, GSNC continues working to strengthen the broader education ecosystem that supports great schools across North Carolina. Through research, national partnerships, and strategic communications initiatives, the organization is helping school leaders connect more effectively with families while bringing national best practices back to the state. This work helps ensure that strong schools are not only created but sustained, so families can rely on them over time.
As North Carolina’s education landscape continues to evolve, GSNC remains focused on one goal: ensuring more families can confidently find high-quality public schools that fit their children’s needs, led by strong, mission-driven leaders and built to support students for the long term.