education
Gov. Roy Cooper signs bill to increase penalties for sex offenses against students
Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday signed into law House Bill 142, which increases penalties for teachers who commit sex offenses against students and school leaders who fail to report such misconduct. House Bill 142 was backed by Superintendent Catherine Truitt. The superintendent told lawmakers in March that since 2016, there have been 124 cases of […]
College Board data: More North Carolina students taking Advanced Placement courses, passing exams
More of North Carolina high school students took Advanced Placement (AP) courses last school year and more of them performed at a higher level on AP exams than did so the previous year, according to recent College Board data. The College Board is the organization that administers the AP program and exams. Success on AP […]
Putting moneyed interests over people
Legislative leaders are knowingly violating the constitutional rights of North Carolina’s 1.5 million public school students in order to help fund tax cuts for the corporations and wealthy North Carolinians who finance their campaigns. North Carolina’s constitution requires the state to provide all students with access to decent schools that provide all students with meaningful […]
New budget proposal would delay implementation of Parents’ Bill of Rights law
School districts would get extra time to implement policies required by the so-called “Parents’ Bill of Rights” under the latest version of the state budget. Under a draft version of the budget unveiled Tuesday, districts would have until Jan. 1 to put policies in place required under the new law. Senate Bill 49 required the […]
State Board of Education’s power to withhold charter school funding restricted under state budget proposal
A provision in a state budget draft released Tuesday would limit the reasons on which the State Board of Education can rely to withhold funding from charter schools. Under the provision, the state board can withhold or reduce a charter school’s funding to make enrollment-based adjustments, if a school has violated the term of its […]
Start to the new school year sends a message about North Carolina’s future
Blistering summers that go on and on and the discomfort they cause for humans are far from the only (or worst) negative impacts of the global climate emergency. Similarly, when it comes to public education in North Carolina, bringing school facilities up to snuff is just one item on a to-do list that’s as long […]
Charter school applicants’ request for reconsideration rescheduled for October
The new Charter School Review Board has temporarily tabled the requests of two charter school applicants seeking reconsideration of unfavorable State Board of Education rulings. The Review Board will hold those hearings next month. One of the applicants seeking reconsideration of an earlier state board ruling is Heritage Collegiate Leadership Academy — Wake County. The […]
School leaders want delay in implementing Parents’ Bill of Rights requirements
The timing of the passage of the so-called “Parents’ Bill of Rights” has made life difficult for school leaders, State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said on Thursday. Leaders dealing with the start of a new school year and probable COVID surge want to see implementation of the law delayed until Jan. 1. Under Senate Bill 49 […]
James Ford resigns State Board of Education post to focus on equity work
James E. Ford, one of the state’s leading voices for diversity, inclusion and equity, has resigned his post as a member of the State Board of Education. Ford said he intends to devote more time to his nonprofit, the Charlotte-based Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED), which focuses on race and education issues in […]
State Board of Education reclaims charter school authority with new policy
The State Board of Education on Thursday reclaimed authority over charter schools, approving a new policy that requires the Charter School Review Board to submit approved applications to the state board for funding consideration. The state board approved the policy on an 8-3 vote, with Republicans Olivia Oxendine, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and State Treasurer […]
State Board of Education wants to use purse strings to regulate charters
The State Board of Education could use its financial power to control charter school approvals, according to a new policy the board is considering. The proposed policy is a response to the Republican-led General Assembly’s recently approval of House Bill 618. The legislation, now law, established a Charter School Review Board and handed it most of the state […]