NC education advocate Keith Poston hired to lead group supporting Wake County schools
Keith Poston has been named the new president of the WakeEd Partnership, a business-backed nonprofit group that supports the Wake County school system.
Poston had been president and executive director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina, one of the state’s leading education think tanks, when he stepped down in October “to focus on personal family matters.” WakeEd announced Monday that Poston will become its new president, replacing Steve Parrott who retired in December.
During his five years at the Public School Forum, Poston raised concerns about the state not providing enough funding for traditional public schools and about how the state has increased funding for charter schools and private school vouchers.
Poston said Monday that he’s eager to support the public schools, teachers, students and families in Wake County.
“While we are facing unprecedented challenges as a nation, if COVID-19 has reinforced anything to me it’s the central role our public schools hold in this community and every community across the country,” Poston said in a news release. “I am eager to help WakeEd Partnership play an important role as our community recovers and comes back together in our public school classrooms stronger and better than ever.”
WakeEd sponsors programs such as encouraging volunteers to read to students and training opportunities for teachers. But the group has also been a vocal advocate of the Wake school system.
WakeEd called the school system’s response to the coronavirus pandemic “a masterclass in leadership by example.” This came as some parents accused the district of not responding fast enough to provide students with remote learning after schools closed in mid-March.
WakeEd’s board of directors also sent a letter to state lawmakers encouraging the continuation of pay and benefits for all Wake school employees and for greater operational and spending flexibility until normal operations resume. A draft bill backed by a House committee would give schools more flexibility in how they spend money.
The General Assembly returns to Raleigh on Tuesday for a new legislative session.
This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 9:52 AM.
