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About Us
IGNITING FUTURES
IN TECH
Our Vision
Imagine a future where every North Carolina student has the skills to thrive in a world transformed by technology. SparkNC is using an innovative educational approach to make that future a reality.
SparkNC empowers students to discover careers in high-tech fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, and computer systems engineering. We help schools move away from traditional classes and rigid schedules. Instead, students choose what, where, and how they learn. And educators have flexibility to use innovative strategies to deliver instruction in engaging ways to students across the state.
We offer an extensive and constantly evolving catalog of learning experiences to give students different paths to gain knowledge and build skills, and to showcase what they learn in personalized digital portfolios of work. We also help students connect with industry experts through in-person events, team-based internships, and other rich experiences.
By doing this, we give students a competitive edge on their way to high-wage and socially impactful careers, providing a dynamic talent pipeline for North Carolina.
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Our Vision
Imagine a future where every North Carolina student has the skills to thrive in a world transformed by technology. SparkNC is using an innovative educational approach to make that future a reality.
SparkNC empowers students to discover careers in high-tech fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, and computer systems engineering. We help schools move away from traditional classes and rigid schedules. Instead, students choose what, where, and how they learn. And educators have flexibility to use innovative strategies to deliver instruction in engaging ways to students across the state.
We offer an extensive and constantly evolving catalog of learning experiences to give students different paths to gain knowledge and build skills, and to showcase what they learn in personalized digital portfolios of work. We also help students connect with industry experts through in-person events, team-based internships, and other rich experiences.
By doing this, we give students a competitive edge on their way to high-wage and socially impactful careers, providing a dynamic talent pipeline for North Carolina.
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
Help learners new to high-tech fields see pathways as possible and accessible, with a focus on increasing engagement among women and students of color; extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals in high-tech jobs, engaging in survey courses, and participating in tech-focused design challenges
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Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
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Discovery
Help learners new to high-tech fields see pathways as possible and accessible, with a focus on increasing engagement among women and students of color; extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals in high-tech jobs, engaging in survey courses, and participating in tech-focused design challenges
Experience
Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
Career Navigation
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
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Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
.png)
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Discovery
Help learners new to high-tech fields see pathways as possible and accessible, with a focus on increasing engagement among women and students of color; extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals in high-tech jobs, engaging in survey courses, and participating in tech-focused design challenges
Experience
Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
Career Navigation
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
Our Design Principles
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
SparkNC’s History and Role in the NC Education Innovation Ecosystem
SparkNC is a North Carolina nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, launched with the generous support of the North Carolina General Assembly and in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
The strategic vision of SparkNC, and our emphasis on development of students’ durable skills and engagement with real-world challenges, aligns closely with the goals of other statewide initiatives, including Operation Polaris 2.0, unveiled by State Superintendent Catherine Truitt in January 2023; the State Board of Education’s 2025 Statewide Strategic Plan; and myFutureNC’s educational attainment goal of 2 million degrees or industry-valued credentials by 2030 among North Carolinians ages 25-44.
SparkNC began as an initiative incubated within The Innovation Project, a nonprofit collaborative working group of North Carolina public school district leaders, before transitioning to a separate, standalone nonprofit during the 2023-24 academic year.
SparkNC is a proof of concept for a new way to do school–one that is more learner-centered, industry-relevant, and competency-based. In its first year of implementation (2023-24), SparkNC is partnering with 17 North Carolina school districts. Looking ahead, SparkNC plans to eventually expand to work with public schools across North Carolina and to extend our approach to other fields.
Learner-Centered
Students own their learning journeys. SparkNC lets students choose learning experiences to explore fields like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software development, data analytics, game development & design, and computer systems engineering.
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Industry-Relevant
Through partnerships with tech businesses, SparkNC helps students develop professional networks and build the “success skills” employers value. Students gain a competitive edge by completing real-world projects that create strong portfolios of relevant work.
Competency-Based
Students move at the pace of learning. They can speed up, or slow down, based on their passions, their abilities, and their learning styles. SparkNC sets learning targets and empowers expert educators to advise and support students on personalized paths to success.
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Igniting Futures In Tech
What We Do.
SparkNC is supporting NC districts to pilot new interdistrict approaches to teaching and learning that will accelerate student progress on pathways to careers in high-tech fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, computer systems engineering, and cybersecurity.
Why We Do It?
Too few learners know about high-tech jobs that will dominate the future job market in North Carolina. Even fewer see pathways for themselves into these jobs.
SparkNC’s History and Role in the NC Education Innovation Ecosystem
SparkNC is a North Carolina nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, launched with the generous support of the North Carolina General Assembly and in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
The strategic vision of SparkNC, and our emphasis on development of students’ durable skills and engagement with real-world challenges, aligns closely with the goals of other statewide initiatives, including Operation Polaris 2.0, unveiled by State Superintendent Catherine Truitt in January 2023; the State Board of Education’s 2025 Statewide Strategic Plan; and myFutureNC’s educational attainment goal of 2 million degrees or industry-valued credentials by 2030 among North Carolinians ages 25-44.
SparkNC began as an initiative incubated within The Innovation Project, a nonprofit collaborative working group of North Carolina public school district leaders, before transitioning to a separate, standalone nonprofit during the 2023-24 academic year.
SparkNC is a proof of concept for a new way to do school–one that is more learner-centered, industry-relevant, and competency-based. In its first year of implementation (2023-24), SparkNC is partnering with 17 North Carolina school districts. Looking ahead, SparkNC plans to eventually expand to work with public schools across North Carolina and to extend our approach to other fields.
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers