North Carolina Transformation Initiative

North Carolina Transformation (NCT) is a state-level school turnaround initiative that provides coaching and support services directly from the state Department of Public Instruction to low-performing schools. The intervention begins with a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) conducted by state staff through classroom observations, interviews, and focus groups over two days. Following the CNA, schools participate in an "unpacking" session where facilitators review findings with school staff, conduct root-cause analysis, and engage in planning activities. Schools then develop School Improvement Plans based on CNA findings. The core intervention consists of tailored coaching services: school transformation coaches work directly with principals, instructional coaches work with teachers, and district-level coaches serve central office staff in low-performing districts. The intervention was implemented in 75 low-performing schools over two academic years (2015-16 and 2016-17), primarily in rural areas outside the state's 10 largest districts. Unlike prior federal turnaround models, NCT does not require disruption of the status quo (such as replacing principals or staff) and operates without additional federal funding, instead reallocating existing state resources.