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Republican senators offer alternative to statewide school bond referendum
State Senate leaders on Wednesday released a plan to pay for school construction and renovations without voter approval in a statewide bond referendum. Under the proposal, the state would use money from the State Capital and Infrastructure Fund created in 2017 to pay interest payments on existing debt and fund capital improvements to state-owned buildings. […]
In some North Carolina counties, traditional schools are being squeezed by charters
There has been much written about the impact charter school growth has had on some of North Carolina’s larger, urban school districts. But the impact might be greater on some of the state’s smaller, rural school districts where the loss of students, and the funding that follows them, are felt more profoundly.
Monday numbers: A closer look at school vouchers in North Carolina
The Public Forum of North Carolina has called for a moratorium on increased funding to the state’s Opportunity Scholarship Program until lawmakers pass legislation that provides more “robust’ financial oversight and evidence that students who receive the vouchers are performing better academically in private school settings.
Public school advocates call for renewed public school emphasis, support for rural districts
The Public School Forum of North Carolina on Wednesday called on state leaders to “renew” their commitment to “public schools for the public good.” The Raleigh-based nonpartisan organization -- which is focused on improving educational outcomes...
On school psychologists, North Carolina doesn’t measure up
The National Association of School Psychologist recommends school districts employ one psychologist for every 500 to 700 students. In North Carolina, the ratio is one psychologist for every 2,008 students. Let that sink in, and consider the mine-field of socio-economic and mental health issues children must navigate these days. A higher percentage of teens report […]
Federal shutdown prompts NC school district to provide only ‘minimum level’ lunches
Vance County Schools has announced that beginning Jan. 21, the school district will begin to provide students with “minimum level” school lunches to conserve funds in the wake of the federal government shutdown. State nutrition officials say the directive to cut back on school lunches didn’t come from Raleigh. “We have not advised LEAs [Local […]
Parent group ‘cautiously optimistic’ about new plan to reduce student testing
Reform advocates worry that A-F testing program for schools remains a big problem Leaders of N.C. Families for School Testing Reform are “cautiously optimistic” about Superintendent Mark Johnson’s plan to reduce the amount of high stakes testing taking place in North Carolina Schools. Susan Book told Policy Watch on Wednesday that she likes the part […]
Former Teacher of the Year: Don’t blame teachers, students for reading failure
Lisa Godwin, the 2017 pick for state Teacher of the Year, said teachers and students aren’t to blame for the poor reading scores the State Board of Education discussed last week during its monthly business meeting. Godwin, an Onslow County educator who sits on the board as an adviser, said North Carolina leaders must do […]
State Board of Education okays Carver Heights “restart” without controversial private takeover
Without comment, the State Board of Education on Thursday approved a “restart application” that allows Carver Heights Elementary School to avoid a state takeover. Under the “restart” school reform model, the struggling Wayne County school will be given “charter-like” flexibility to operate, meaning it will be free of some of the rules and regulations that […]
Board of Ed member: Why learning to read matters and NC must do more
On the heels of a report showing too few third-graders demonstrating reading proficiency, State Board of Education member Wayne McDevitt shared a compelling story about a high school classmate who confessed he never learned to read. McDevitt’s story came Wednesday near the conclusion of a discussion about the state’s Read to Achieve initiative on which […]
Diversity improves as more students enrolled in charters
Enrollment has climbed to 109,389 students in North Carolina’s 184 charter schools, which is an 8 percent increase over the previous school year, according to the state’s annual report on charter schools. The State Board of Education will discuss the report on Wednesday during its first meeting of the new year. The enrollment increase is […]
Wayne County superintendent thinks ‘restart application’ will be a slam dunk
On paper, the options before the state Board of Education next week regarding the much-discussed Carver Heights Elementary School in Wayne County seem simple.If the board does not approve the school’s Restart Model application to grant the school charter-like flexibility, then Carver Heights will be taken over by the state and transferred to the controversial […]