North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina
Superintendent of Public Instruction is the elected head of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
and oversees the public school systems of the state. The Superintendent is currently an elected member of the North Carolina Council of State
, chosen in a partisan election every four years. As of 2008, North Carolina is one of 14 states in which the superintendent is elected, and one of only 8 in which that election is partisan. http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/study_only_14_elected_superintendents
The Superintendent of Public Instruction also serves as a member of the North Carolina State Board of Education
, the body which holds most of the authority over elementary and secondary education in the state.
The office became an elected one under the North Carolina Constitution
of 1868.
The current Superintendent of Public Instruction is June Atkinson
.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Superintendent of Public Instruction is the elected head of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction oversees the public school system in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The DPI is headed by the State Superintendent and the North Carolina State Board of Education...
and oversees the public school systems of the state. The Superintendent is currently an elected member of the North Carolina Council of State
North Carolina Council of State
The Council of State is a group of popularly elected executive offices in North Carolina, USA. It is separate from the North Carolina Cabinet, which is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina, and makes up the rest of the executive leadership of the government...
, chosen in a partisan election every four years. As of 2008, North Carolina is one of 14 states in which the superintendent is elected, and one of only 8 in which that election is partisan. http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/study_only_14_elected_superintendents
The Superintendent of Public Instruction also serves as a member of the North Carolina State Board of Education
North Carolina State Board of Education
The North Carolina State Board of Education, established by Article 9 of the North Carolina Constitution, supervises and administers the public school systems of North Carolina...
, the body which holds most of the authority over elementary and secondary education in the state.
The office became an elected one under the North Carolina Constitution
North Carolina Constitution
The Constitution of the State of North Carolina governs the structure and function of the state government of North Carolina, United States; it is the highest legal document for the state and subjugates North Carolina law...
of 1868.
The current Superintendent of Public Instruction is June Atkinson
June Atkinson
June St. Clair Atkinson was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2004, in a race that was decided by the North Carolina General Assembly on August 23, 2005. She was re-elected in 2008. Dr...
.
Superintendents of Public Instruction
- Calvin H. Wiley, 1853-1866
- (office abolished), 1866-1868
- Samuel S. Ashley, 1868-1871
- Alexander McIver, 1871-1872
- James Reid (see note below)
- Alexander McIver, 1872-1875
- Stephen D. Pool, 1875-1876
- John PoolJohn PoolJohn Pool was a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina between 1868 and 1873. He was also the uncle of Congressman Walter Freshwater Pool....
, 1876-1877 - John C. Scarborough, 1877-1885
- Sidney M. Finger, 1885-1893
- John C. Scarborough, 1893-1897
- Charles H. Mebane, 1897-1901
- Thomas F. ToonThomas F. ToonThomas Fentress Toon was a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life:...
, 1901-1902 - James Y. Joyner, 1902-1919
- Eugene C. BrooksEugene C. BrooksEugene Clyde Brooks was an American educator. He was educated at Trinity College , where he earned an A.B. degree in 1894. He also earned a Litt.D...
, 1919-1923 - Arch T. Allen, 1923-1934
- Clyde A. Erwin, 1934-1952
- Charles F. Carroll, 1952-1969
- A. Craig Phillips, 1969-1989
- Bob EtheridgeBob EtheridgeBobby Ray "Bob" Etheridge is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was defeated in the 2010 election by Renee Ellmers.-Early life, education and career:...
, 1989-1996 - Michael E. WardMichael E. WardMichael E. Ward was Superintendent of Public Instruction for the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1996 to 2004.Born in Franklin County, North Carolina, Ward attended North Carolina State University. Upon graduation, he was employed as a public school teacher and later a principal before serving as...
, 1997-2004 - Patricia N. WilloughbyPatricia N. WilloughbyPatricia N. Willoughby is a North Carolina educator. She was appointed by Governor Mike Easley as the interim North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction in September 2004, following the resignation of Mike Ward, and served the remaining months of Ward's term.A new superintendent was to...
, 2004-2005 (interim) - June AtkinsonJune AtkinsonJune St. Clair Atkinson was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2004, in a race that was decided by the North Carolina General Assembly on August 23, 2005. She was re-elected in 2008. Dr...
, 2005-Present