education - Carolina Journal

Public school leaders embrace competition in age of school choice

Some school leaders are embracing the competition inherent in school choice and working to make their local public schools the best choice possible for the general community.

Jeff Moore

Crime, suspensions continue to worsen in NC public schools

Despite emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, North Carolina public schools continue to experience increased incidences of crime, violence, and suspensions, according to data from the NC Department of Public Instruction. A DPI report released at the end of January showed that public schools reported 13,193 acts of crime and violence in the 2022-2023 school year,...

Cooper Math: Governor’s anti-scholarship tour fact-checked by education expert

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper hit the road in February on a campaign in eastern North Carolina to blast Opportunity Scholarships, the state’s voucher program that provides a pathway to a private school education for tens of thousands of families across the state. The governor’s office claims that vouchers will have a draconian impact on local...

School finance in NC: It’s time to take the next step

In 2022, North Carolina spent $16.7 billion in state, federal, and local funds on its public schools. Those funds were distributed to local schools using 50 different funding formulas. People frequently focus on how much money was distributed, which is important. Equally important, however, is to evaluate how that money is distributed. In recent years,...

Bob Luebke

When investing in yourself, diversify

Diversify your portfolio. That’s excellent investment advice — but it applies to many more situations than you might think. After all, setting aside part of each paycheck in retirement funds or other financial assets isn’t the only way you invest now in anticipation of future returns. Indeed, unless you are fabulously wealthy or remarkably lucky,...

John Hood

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Facts over messaging: Listen to voters, they have a lot to say

For more than 20 years, thought leaders, policymakers, and readers have turned to Carolina Journal for the latest news and analysis. We thank you for that trust, and thrive on the daily engagement we have with our readers. Starting in 2024, we are stepping it up with the new Carolina Journal poll. Building on decades...

Donna King

Demand for Opportunity Scholarships sets record in first week

More than 32,000 new applications for the Opportunity Scholarship Program came in during the first week of priority enrollment, setting a new record in demand for the program and tripling the number of applications submitted in February 2023. The numbers were first reported by the school-choice advocacy organization Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina...

NC Opportunity Scholarship site crashes minutes after applications open

Around 12:15am Thursday morning the website where parents can apply for the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) crashed as people rushed to apply. OSP became universally open to all North Carolina families after the state legislature passed a bill making all income levels eligible on a sliding scale, with families at the lower income levels being...

CJ Staff

School choice expert: 2023 was the year of universal choice

A key leader in the school choice movement dubbed 2023 “the year of universal school choice” during the John Locke Foundation’s Carolina Liberty Conference on Jan. 26-27. In 2023, there were 111 bills introduced in 40 states relating to Education Savings Accounts or vouchers, according to Robert Enlow, president and CEO of the Indianapolis-based group...

An axiom for the ages: Parents decide what’s best for their child, including in education

I have a feeling most people involved in education policy intuitively accept the conclusion that parents should be the final word on what’s best for their child. But I also believe some don’t really understand its implications. You see, if we accept as our guiding principle that final authority rests with parents, then the answer...

Lindalyn Kakadelis