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Dr. Austin Obasohan’s passion for education is immediately evident, even over the phone. “It is an exciting time for Duplin County, and I am so grateful for this partnership with NC New Schools to ensure universal access for all children,” Obasohan says, with an enthusiastic smile in his voice. As superintendent of Duplin County Schools, he firmly believes that all children can learn and succeed — and his commitment to nurturing that success has led him to partner with North Carolina New Schools.
Duplin County Schools located in southeastern North Carolina, serves 9,000 students in 16 schools. Presently home to one early college high school, the school district, under the leadership of Superintendent Obasohan, has a bold plan to expand the early college high school model to its four other high schools. Upon completion of this expansion, Duplin County Schools would be the only school district in the country with all of its high school students served through the early college high school model.
“My vision is for every child that enters 9th grade to graduate in a reasonable time with at least an associate’s degree, because research has already shown that life requires preparation beyond high school,” Obasohan says. “Duplin County is ready to take that initiative. We’re not afraid to meet the challenges head on.”
Duplin County Schools and NC New Schools, in cooperation with other partners, are working to establish the first district-wide early college model in the state. The goal is to extract the lessons learned from existing early college high schools and implement a comprehensive approach that will translate into every child in the school system graduating prepared for college and work.
“From pre-K through high school, we want to create a college-going culture. We need to expose students to the rigor of college preparation early on and create a culture of high expectations at all grade levels,” Obasohan says. It would be an educational injustice if we don’t expand the results we’ve seen at the Early College to all students in Duplin County.”
In planning for the expansion for early college in Duplin, Obasohan and his team will draw from the success of their current early college high school. Created four years ago, the school is a model in North Carolina, benefiting from an excellent relationship with its higher education partner, James Sprunt Community College. Duplin ECHS has consistently graduated students with the skills they need to be successful in college and careers.
“I see our partnership with NC New Schools as a much-needed relationship for preparing children for global competition,” Obasohan says. “We have a shared vision, and Duplin County is the right place to carry out that vision. We are ready to take the challenge and produce students who are career and college ready.”
Dr. Obasohan brings more than 28 years of experience in public education to his current role leading a rural district that has already opened new opportunities with the development of an early college high school. “Dr. Obasohan had brought an infectious enthusiasm to Duplin County and in one year has tapped the interests and passions of his staff and community to create a vision for the future of that will be transformational,” says Dana Diesel Wallace, NC New Schools’ vice president of school development. “NC New Schools is honored and delighted to be a part of making this vision a reality and are committed to that end.”
As a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, director and superintendent of schools, he has a proven track record of creating cultures of academic excellence. To promote innovation that ensures all success for all students, he sees his role as building relationships with partner institutions and cultivating Duplin’s administrators to be true instructional leaders. “We are very fortunate to have such a good relationship with the community college, and the support of the community has been fabulous,” Obasohan says.
Obasohan relies on strong relationships with the board of education, board of commissioners, community college leaders and area businesses to help implement this innovative approach. A series of town hall meetings this fall will give parents, teachers, students and business leaders a chance to discuss the importance of promoting a college-going culture for all students.
Dr. Obasohan served as the superintendent of schools in Selma, Alabama, before coming to Duplin as superintendent in July 2010. He earned a bachelor’s degree in management and marketing from Sussex College, England; a master’s in education and an educational specialist degree from Virginia State University; and a doctorate in educational leadership from Appalachian State University.
