Today, on the birthday of Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. we remember and proudly honor him through a celebration of 25 years of The Hunt Institute. Join us for 25 Years of Leadership. 25 Weeks of Impact. Founded by Governor Hunt and grounded in his belief that education is the foundation of opportunity, The Hunt Institute has spent the past quarter century creating bipartisan convening that bring together governors, lawmakers, educators, and leaders from across the country to advance policies that help students succeed. Over the next 25 weeks, we’ll share 25 stories that reflect the people, partnerships, programs, and moments that have shaped our journey and lifting up the impact made possible through a shared commitment to public education. As we honor this milestone, we also celebrate the legacy of Governor Hunt’s leadership and vision for a stronger future for all students. #TheHuntInstitute25 #25YearsOfImpact #EducationLeadership

Nearly 1 in 4 students is chronically absent. What will it take to move beyond the attendance numbers? 📚 Join us Wed., Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. ET for our #Homeroom with Education Leaders featuring Dr. Michelle Gough (@MichelleRGough | @SchoolStatusApp), Dr. Amy Carter & Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty. Register: buff.ly/dlr7TTT #ChronicAbsenteeism #EdPoli

Correctional education reduces prison recidivism by 43%, but alignment with real-world job markets is critical. Join The Hunt Institute tomorrow at 2 PM ET for a nonpartisan panel on aligning postsecondary education, rehabilitation, and workforce needs. Secure your spot today! Register now: buff.ly/jQsu1Dl

A sincere thank you to all attendees and speakers who made this meeting a success. We look forward to the positive changes you'll make in your institutions and communities!

A sincere thank you to our partners and participating sponsors: the @BezosFoundation, the @BelkEndowment, the @SaulZaentz Foundation, @AscendiumEd, the Andrew Carnegie Foundation (@ACarnegieFdn), the Lilly Endowment, the Skyline Foundation, @BloombergDotOrg, Nellie Mae Education Foundation (@NellieMaeEdFdn), the Bainum Family Foundation, the @Hewlett_Found, the @ECMCFoundation, @DogwoodWNC, the Pritzker Children's Initiative, the @LeonLevineFdn, the Alliance for Early Success, the Annie E. Casey Foundation (@AECFNews), The @WallaceFdn, the Kresge Foundation (@kresgefdn), Education Forward DC (@edforwarddc), the Gamba Family Foundation, the George Kaiser Family Foundation (@gkff), the @belkfoundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (@BWFUND), the Sauer Family Foundation, @ETSInsights, BARR Center, The City Fund, @CollegeBoard, @CurriculumAssoc, @DominionEnergy, @GreatMindsEd, @wonderschools, @ACT, @MetaMetrics_Inc, Cambium Learning Group (@cambiumlearning), and SchoolStatus. Our mission is only possible due to your ongoing support. #ECLS26

Building strong talent pipelines requires alignment across policy, higher education, and industry. Former NC Senator Deanna Ballard, Dr. Margaret Annunziata (@IsothermalCC), and Jasmine Cox-Wade (@GlastonCollege) join us to discuss scaling workforce initiatives like AttainmentNC and Good Jobs for regional prosperity.

Starting the morning hearing directly from the experts -- our students! We're thrilled to hear from student leaders across Western NC as they share their experiences, aspirations, and perspectives on the future of higher education.

Excited to begin our dinner conversation on higher education as an engine for regional growth! Thank you to Victoria Brownlee (@DogwoodHealth), Chancellor Dr. Bonita Brown (@WSSU), and Scott Elliot (GROW NC) for leading this vital discussion on economic development in Western NC.

How are demographic shifts impacting higher education in NC? Scott Hamilton (@GoldenLEAFFdn), Dr. John D. Gossett (@ABTechCC), and Dr. Chad Holt (@BrevardCollege) dive into changing student profiles and how institutions across WNC are adapting to meet student needs.

The Hunt Institute is kicking off the afternoon, exploring postsecondary attainment and regional impact across NC! Grateful to Sam Gutter (JMBE), Cecilia Holden (@myFutureNC), and Dr. Shelly White (@HaywoodCC) for sharing insights on driving educational attainment and economic mobility.

A sincere thank you to our partners and participating sponsors: the @BezosFoundation, the @BelkEndowment, the @SaulZaentz Foundation, @AscendiumEd, the Andrew Carnegie Foundation (@ACarnegieFdn), the Lilly Endowment, the Skyline Foundation, @BloombergDotOrg, Nellie Mae Education Foundation (@NellieMaeEdFdn), the Bainum Family Foundation, the @Hewlett_Found, the @ECMCFoundation, @DogwoodWNC, the Pritzker Children's Initiative, the @LeonLevineFdn, the Alliance for Early Success, the Annie E. Casey Foundation (@AECFNews), The @WallaceFdn, the Kresge Foundation (@kresgefdn), Education Forward DC (@edforwarddc), the Gamba Family Foundation, the George Kaiser Family Foundation (@gkff), the @belkfoundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (@BWFUND), the Sauer Family Foundation, @ETSInsights, BARR Center, The City Fund, @CollegeBoard, @CurriculumAssoc, @DominionEnergy, @GreatMindsEd, @wonderschools, @ACT, @MetaMetrics_Inc, Cambium Learning Group (@cambiumlearning), and SchoolStatus. Our mission is only possible due to your ongoing support. #ECLS26

Thank you to the extraordinary governors, lawmakers, agency leaders, and early childhood advocates who joined us in Westminster for #ECLS26. Your dedication drives real policy change for children and families. Safe travels home, and let’s keep the momentum going towards educational reform.

Concluding three days of transformative early childhood leadership at #ECLS26! Today marked the final session of The Hunt Institute’s Early Childhood Leadership Summit, but the work to advance state early learning systems continues. We are deeply grateful to our host state leaders, speakers, partners, and attendees for bringing immense expertise and dedication to #ECLS26.

That is a wrap on #ECLS26! From the rollout of the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Roadmap to Dr. Dan Wuori’s (@DanWuori) powerful keynote on ending “The Daycare Myth,” lawmakers leave inspired to take strategic action for young children. Thank you to all who made this summit unforgettable. #ECLS26

It is time to reform how we view early education. Introduced by Elliot Steinberg (@SaulZaentz), keynote speaker Dr. Dan Wuori (@DanWuori) addresses the artificial divide between “childcare” and “education,” challenging policymakers to invest in early childhood as a critical developmental window. #ECLS26

Early math skills strongly predict long-term academic success, yet early numeracy receives a fraction of literacy funding. Sara Allan (@ValhallaFound) leads Assistant Secretary Kirsten Baesler (@KirstenBaesler/@usedgov), Dr. Jill Dent (@MIssDeptEd), Shira Kolnik Mattera (@mdrc_news), and Nasha Patel in a discussion on policy levers that close math gaps early. #ECLS26

The foundation of lifelong well-being is built in the first three years. Following introductory remarks from Adolfo Hernandez (@PTFound_), Dr. Cynthia Osborne (@pn3policy) rolls out the 2026 Prenatal-to-3 Policy Roadmap, providing states with evidence-based policy paths.

Welcome to the final day of #ECLS26. President and CEO Dr. Javaid Siddiqi (@jsiddiqi7) opens the morning as we turn our focus toward early numeracy research, infant-toddler policy, and system-wide innovation. #ECLS26