When Eric Bracy has a job to do, he doesn’t miss a beat.
On June 30, he was superintendent of schools in Johnston County. By July 1, he had already moved into his office in Fayetteville as Cumberland County Schools’ newest leader. And on Aug. 5, Bracy will be sworn into the role in a ceremony and reception from 4-6 p.m. at the Dr. William “Bill” Harrison Educational Resource Center.
It’s not in Bracy’s nature to take a break, especially when he sees an opportunity to move a school system to the next level.
In Cumberland County, the schools were already on an upward trajectory before former superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. retired earlier this year. Bracy aims to keep that momentum going.
“The school system here in Cumberland County has a history of great leadership, and many amazing things are happening,” Bracy said. “The schools were clearly headed in the right direction before I got here.”
With 86 schools, Cumberland County is the fifth largest school district in the state, and last year, under Connelly’s leadership, 17 of them rose out of the low-performing ranks, an impressive achievement, Bracy says, and one of the reasons he applied for the job.
Under state law, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction assigns a grade (A-F) based on student achievement and improvement year after year and schools strive to earn an A, B or C. Schools receiving a D or F are considered low performing, and it becomes the district superintendent’s responsibility to create a plan for improvement.
A self-described “data-driven” superintendent, Bracy uses data analysis to identify areas of strength and weakness and to develop targeted strategies for improving educational outcomes. His track record speaks for itself.
North Carolina has 115 school districts. In Johnston County, where Bracy was superintendent for five years, he led the county’s 48 public schools from a statewide ranking of 83rd to 35th by the end of the 2023-2024 school year. And he facilitated dropping its 14 low-performing schools down to one.
In Cumberland County, the school board’s goals include raising student proficiency, dropping the number of low-performing schools to zero, and filling teacher vacancies, said board chairwoman Deanna Jones, who couldn’t wait for Bracy to get started.
“Dr. Bracy brings a deep understanding of what it takes to move a district forward,” Jones said. “He has a history of turning vision into action and building trust with the people he serves.”
To fill the superintendent’s position, the Cumberland County School Board hired a professional search firm, which received over 40 applications, Jones said. Bracy rose to the top.
“When we interviewed Dr. Bracy, he spoke with clarity and compassion and demonstrated that he knows building relationships and listening deeply are key to any success,” she said. She also appreciates that Bracy analyzes data to find patterns that can be adjusted to lift up teachers, students and the school systems he leads.
Bracy was born in Weldon, North Carolina, a small town in Halifax County. His father was a high school principal, and his mother taught kindergarten and special education. According to a Cumberland County Schools press release, both graduated from Fayetteville State Teachers College, now called Fayetteville State University. His older brother, Elie Bracy III is superintendent of schools in Portsmouth, Virginia.
“My parents set high expectations for us academically and expected us to work hard and come home from school and do our homework,” he said. “We had a great childhood, and our parents held us accountable for everything we did.”
Bracy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and teaching from North Carolina Central University, a Master of Education degree from Virginia State University and a Doctor of Education degree from Nova Southeastern University.
His career as an educator spans over 25 years. He climbed the ladder from his early days as a 4th-grade teacher in Northampton County and school principal in Vance and Durham counties, and went on to serve as superintendent in Northampton County and Sampson County before moving on to Johnston County and now Cumberland.
The stepping stones along the way fueled Bracy’s passion for excellence.
“I want Cumberland County to be the highest performing school system in North Carolina, and I want to have a positive impact on all the children, the teachers and staff I serve every day,” he said.
Admitting his work has never been a solo effort, he attributes his success to the relationships he has forged and the people surrounding him.
“You’re only going to be successful if you have a great board that supports the work you do,” he said. “And I would say the ingredients that go into our secret sauce are the amazing teachers standing in front of our students and principals who are data-driven and focused on success.”
To measure that success, Bracy relies on giving students benchmark exams during the school year to uncover areas that need improvement. For students who are underperforming, teachers are ready to step in and reteach them until they master the objectives of their curriculum. For most, it’s not a negative reaction.
“Face it, everybody doesn’t get it the first time,” Bracy said. “We’re all working together to make sure our students, our teachers and our support staff have the tools and support to thrive.”
If improving student outcomes is at the top of Bracy’s priorities, building trusting relationships is the means for achieving that goal. As a new leader in the school system, he views it as both a challenge and an opportunity.
“I came from a place where everyone knew me to this big school system where nobody knows me,” he said. “I have to build trusting relationships with people quickly and then I think good things will follow.”
Soon, principals, teachers, students and staff will start seeing Bracy in the halls of their schools, a place where he feels comfortable and where he can make a difference.
“I love to be in schools, love to talk to teachers, love to get to know support staff and love interacting with students,” he said.
Bracy’s wife, Janelle, is also an educator, and he draws on her for support and strength.
“My wife serves as a sounding board for me when I want to get a teacher’s perspective on issues and concerns,” he said. “And the thing about Janelle is she’s brutally honest and is always going to tell me the truth.”
The Bracys have three daughters: Cameron, a recent University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate who will start her career as an ICU nurse in August; Courtney, a biology major at UNC-Chapel Hill; and Camille, a rising freshman at N.C. Central.
Sports also play a role in Bracy’s life. He has always loved sports but was more academically inclined, he says. Nevertheless, he tested his athletic skills on his high school football field.
“I played cornerback,” he said and laughed. “My team nicknamed me ‘Toast,’ so I don’t think I was good because toast typically gets burned.”
A self-proclaimed Dallas Cowboys fan, Bracy inherited his love of that team from his grandmother.
“My grandmother loved Cowboys head coach Tom Landry, especially the way he looked on the sidelines wearing his fedora,” he said. “We would watch the Cowboys together, and I fell in love with a quarterback named Roger Staubach.”
Bracy often turns to football for perspective, according to a profile distributed by Cumberland County Schools. One of his favorite quotes from the legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi is a reminder that outcomes and accountability are important: “If it doesn’t matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?”
Bracy admits that rarely is there an easy day in his profession, but he’s okay with that. With a successful track record both in building relationships and improving school systems, he feels fortunate to have been able to take a leading role in upgrading several school systems.
“That means improving the quality of the schools and making them higher performing, which enhances student outcomes,” he said. “And we will strive to get better each day.”
Read CityView Magazine’s “The Back To School Issue” August 2025 e-edition here.