The name Dolly Parton is synonymous with country music, but in North Carolina, the Parton name is synonymous with ill-fated development projects. Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson explains that, besides the much-publicized failure of the Randy Parton Theatre in Roanoke Rapids, the Partons are also connected to a problem-plagued resort development in Burke County that has local officials wondering if they’ll ever receive the taxes owed to them. Then we turn to debate over education policy. Parents and school choice advocates are urging state lawmakers to increase funding for North Carolina’s new opportunity scholarship program. More than 5,500 families have applied for roughly 2,400 available scholarships in the program’s first year. You’ll hear highlights from a recent news conference explaining why lawmakers should give more families a chance to seek an alternative to traditional public schools. Legislators are also taking aim at so-called “pension spiking” within state and local government. They are pursuing legislation that would limit the ability of the highest-paid public employees to boost their retirement pay by converting government-provided perks into salary as they retire. That’s followed by a closer look at recent discussion among lawmakers over scrapping Common Core public school standards in North Carolina. Critics have questioned whether the state will have any standards during the next school year. You’ll hear members of the N.C. House discuss how legislation would handle the process of replacing Common Core with superior standards. And finally, we turn to history. North Carolina recently hosted a special tour of the state’s copy of the 13th amendment. Troy Kickler, founding director of the North Carolina History Project, discusses the importance of the amendment, which ended slavery in the U.S.
Another Parton-Connected Project In Trouble
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Opportunity Scholarships: 13,511 low income families get first tier awards
The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority announced March 30 that 13,511 new students in the first award tier have been offered scholarships. Renewal families — those already enrolled in the program — have also been offered scholarships. Families have until April 19 to accept or decline the award offer.
Elkin school board resolves state pension spiking dispute
The Elkin City Schools Board of Education has resolved its pension spiking dispute with the state treasurer’s Retirement Systems Division. The resolution effectively ended a lawsuit that once involved six local school boards and a community college.
Five school boards, community college settle state pension-spiking disputes
Five county school boards and trustees at one state community college are dropping their court appeals for refunds of money paid to the state retirement system in pension-spiking cases. If they had won their legal battle, refunds would have totaled more than $434,000, not counting at least five years of interest.
Retirement system asks state Supreme Court to reject Harnett pension-spiking case
The state Retirement Systems Division urges North Carolina’s top court to steer clear of a pension-spiking dispute involving the Harnett County school board. At stake is a $198,000 bill assessed to the local school system.