An anti-school choice Democratic state senator has sent a letter to at least 16 private schools threatening a misdemeanor charge if they don’t comply with an information request. Sen. Michael Garrett, D-Guilford, sent a letter dated April 15 to the schools that receive funds for Opportunity Scholarships, the state’s voucher program that makes a private...
Rep. Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg, has been appointed as chair of the North Carolina House Education Appropriations Committee for the short session, gaveling in later this week. Tasked with setting appropriations for education, the Committee oversees the largest portion of the state budget. She will replace former committee chair Rep. Jon Hardister, R-Guilford, who resigned from...
North Carolina’s attrition rate for public school teachers ticked up last school year but remains below the national average, according to a new report presented to the North Carolina State Board of Education on Wednesday.
Students in kindergarten through third grade improved their reading proficiency by 22% from the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year up until present day, compared to a 13% improvement nationally, according to new data released Wednesday by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The most significant gains came for kindergarteners — only 33% scored...
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s new book, “The Anxious Generation,” lays out the latest research on what constant screen time is doing to America’s youth. And the trends are very troubling. Haidt shows how mental health problems, sleep deprivation, social isolation, suicide attempts, and attention fragmentation have all spiked among youth and suggests a direct link to...
North Carolina lawmakers recently authorized pilot programs in 17 high schools across the state with the intention of encouraging more students to pursue high-tech careers. On Tuesday, a joint legislative committee heard an update on the results so far. The pilot programs are housed under the SparkNC label. In 2023, lawmakers OK’ed $3 million in funding...
Principals advocate for a revised plan for school principal compensation.
According to the National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF), more Americans googled “school choice” during National School Choice Week in January 2023 than during any other time over the prior six years. This should come as no surprise to North Carolinians. Since January 2023, our state legislature has made major expansion possible in both charter...
North Carolina policymakers debate education savings accounts.
Nearly 72,000 applications were received for the expanded Opportunity Scholarship program in North Carolina by the close of the priority application window March 1, according to new data from the state government agency that oversees the program. That record-breaking number more than doubles the current number of recipients. Demand was so high in the first...
Indicative of a national trend, chronic absenteeism has only declined slightly from when it was at its peak.
