RALEIGH
Former Gov. Mike Easley will become a paid consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as he continues to work on two of his keystone education initiatives, Easley's longtime political media firm said Wednesday.
Easley, who left office last month after eight years as governor, will work with the foundation on expanding his Learn and Earn program nationwide, the Shorr Johnson Magnus firm said in a news release.
The state has created 60 Learn and Earn high schools, which allow students to obtain both a high- school diploma and college credit or take technology classes. The Gates Foundation gave money earlier this decade to expand the Learn and Earn program and its related New Schools Project.
The Learn and Earn program last year received an Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
Easley also will push, with help from the foundation, other college affordability initiatives he promoted as governor, such as free online college courses for high school students and a program to give low-income students the ability to attend college debt-free.
Easley will be paid for the Gates Foundation consultancy, said Adam Magnus, a partner in the firm.
Magnus said Easley would do consulting work on other projects separate from the Gates Foundation, such as expanding the More at Four pre-kindergarten program that he governor championed while in office.
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