PRESS RELEASE:: Raleigh, N.C. – The North Carolina State Senate today unanimously approved the “Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021.” The bill covers in-classroom instruction, reading camps, other reading interventions, data collection, and brings together the higher education and pre-K communities to help ensure consistency and quality in literacy instruction. Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) introduced the bill along with Senate Education Committee Chairs Sens. Deanna Ballard (R-Watauga) and Michael Lee (R-New Hanover). The bill builds on the 2019 legislation to implement evidence-based policies to enhance and facilitate a successful reading curriculum for North Carolina students.