Hunt Institute Off Ground, Running Well

The James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy was established in September by the UNC-system Board of Governors to benefit both the UNC system and beyond.

And in the less than half a year since its inception, the institute has raised about $2 million from private donations, said Jenni Owen, planning director for the Hunt Institute.

Contributors include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies.

On Feb. 20 the Hunt Institute hosted the current and four former U.S. secretaries of education at Duke University. It was the first public event held by the institute.

Hunt said he thinks the event was a success because it provided a forum for different points of view on education reform.

"We want to develop understanding and allow people to learn from people who have (brought change)." he said. "(The secretaries) described their experiences in getting major changes done in school, which is the kind of thing that top leaders need to know how to do."

Hunt described the institute's purpose as providing a means for officials to learn about educational policy and how to enact reform.

"(The goal is) to provide a solid grounding for governors, legislators, congressmen and school leaders for what schools need to do to change and make them work and to help them understand how to bring this about politically," he said.

During his 16 years as governor, Hunt initiated several education reforms, including Smart Start -- a pre-kindergarten education program.

He added that he wants the institute to help the nation reach education goals set by President Bush.

"Our goal is to help the nation to achieve the goals from from the (No Child Left Behind Act) and make it so no child is left behind," he said.

Hunt added that getting the necessary donations required a lot of campaigning but added that foundation officials ultimately decided that education is a program that is being neglected and needs attention.

"I visited personally (with the foundations) and explained my vision, how unique it is and that it is something that needs to be done," Hunt said. "Some major foundations have concluded that this is something not being done."

Charles Coble, UNC-system vice president for university-school programs, said that although the education secretary forum raised the institute's profile by garnering it national attention, it is still in its startup phase. He said that as the institute participates in more national programs, its visible results will be increased.

Coble added that he expects the institute's goals to move beyond politics in the future.

"What it's done has been mostly behind the scenes," Coble said. "Right now it's in the political domain but I don't think we'll end there."

The Hunt Institute is conducting a nationwide search for its first director. Hunt said once the director is hired, the institute can move ahead with its various programs.

Coble said that while he enjoyed the secretaries' discussion at the forum, he thinks many acted too aware of television cameras.

"It was interesting to have all those secretaries in the same room," he said. "But I think they knew they were going to be on CNN so they retreated from some of their differences."

Coble said he thinks the institute will be a success because of Hunt's strengths as an education leader.

"Mr. Hunt has become the nation's education governor," he said. "He's got as good a connection to public schools as anyone in the nation."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.