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State recognizes Durham as an AIG 'promising district'; Laura Parrott named NCAGT outstanding administrator
Summary
Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction honored Durham Public Schools as one of 13 statewide AIG promising districts and the district’s director of advanced academics, Laura Parrott, was awarded NCAGT Outstanding Administrator of the Year.
Representatives from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) recognized Durham Public Schools on March 27 as one of 13 “promising districts” for advanced academics and gifted education. The district’s Office of Advanced Academics and its long‑running programs earned commendation for sustained, systemic work to expand equitable access to advanced coursework and talent development.
Sunneha Shah Coltrane, senior director for advanced learning and gifted education at NCDPI, and Stephanie Cyrus, the state consultant for gifted education, praised Durham’s decade‑plus commitment to aligning mindsets, policies and practices to expand excellence and equity. The state delegation highlighted the district’s work on subgroup trends, expanded AP access and identification practices for multilingual and twice‑exceptional learners.
In related recognition, Laura Parrott, director of Advanced Academics for Durham Public Schools, received the 2025 North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented (NCAGT) Outstanding Administrator award. NCAGT cited Parrott’s leadership, program development and statewide advocacy in the nomination materials shared at the meeting.
Board members and district leaders accepted the recognitions and noted the awards as the result of long‑term investments in staffing and program alignment. The awards were presented during the meeting’s celebrations portion; no formal board action was required.
