January 25, 2025

[1]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org
[2]Facebook [3]Instagram [4]YouTube [5]LinkedIn [6]TikTok

Public Schools Are the Best Choice!

Strong public schools are the best choice for families and communities.
Public schools welcome and provide a free education to all students
regardless of income, race, ethnicity, religion, language ability, or other
characteristics such as learning needs or physical challenges, so it is in
everyone’s best interest to make sure they have the resources needed to
thrive. In North Carolina, the overwhelming majority of students attend
public schools; supporting and making them even better is the best
investment in our children and communities that we can make.

Throughout 2025, NCPTA and Public Schools First NC are continuing to team
up to celebrate the valuable contributions and achievements of educators
and education advocates in our public schools and the communities they
serve.

Recent polling shows that the majority of the general public [7]supports
funding public education and not vouchers. Further, research has shown the
vital role educators play in preparing children for success and how the
best possible investment of tax dollars for our children’s education is our
public schools. Research has also shown that thriving public schools
elevate real estate values and enhance the likelihood of business
investments.

Approximately 70% of North Carolinians do not have children in school, but
they are still affected by the wellbeing of their local school district.
Fortunately, because public schools are governed by elected leaders, all
members of the community have a voice in the future of their schools

Unlike private schools, public schools are also fully accountable for how
public dollars are spent, conduct criminal background checks on staff,
publish student achievement data, and follow curriculum content standards.

In addition to being the only school choice accountable to the public,
public schools also provide the most choices for families and students.
Public schools have an unmatched array of choices with offerings that range
from early-college, international baccalaureate, dual language/immersion,
STEM/STEAM, arts, career tech, leadership, world studies, gifted/talented
programs, and a wide variety of athletic programs and clubs.

We will continue to highlight the value and successes of our public
schools. We will also share information and advocate for the resources
needed to meet current funding and staffing challenges. We will call on
lawmakers, business leaders, community members, educators, and
parents/guardians to work together to support and strengthen our public
schools and contribute the work needed for the ongoing improvement of K-12
education.

We invite you to join us in celebrating our public schools! Please send us
information about the amazing work happening in your public school
district. Tell us about the wonderful program choices your school district
provides and the marvelous educators who are making these programs work!

Help us lift up the stories that show North Carolinians why Public Schools
Are the Best Choice! We will share your good news on our many social media
platforms. Email us at [email protected] or you can [8]share
your stories here.

Virtual Office Hours with the NCPTA and PSFNC!

Join us (NCPTA, PSFNC) every month during the legislative session for
updates on bills, policy or budget changes, etc. that impact public
education. Bring your questions and suggestions; participate in the
conversation to support our public schools.

Office hours will be held via Zoom on Thursdays from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. on
the following dates:
* February 20
* March 20
* April 17
* May 15
* June 19

[9]Join Office Hours

Survey Shows Strong Support for Public Schools

A recent [10]survey released by All4Ed shows broad support for better
funding for public schools and a distinct lack of support for vouchers. The
key findings of this national poll could provide direction for legislative
leaders at all levels to put aside party differences and respond to what
the public actually wants:
1. A majority of voters, regardless of party, support public education and
would choose to use federal funding on public schools over voucher
programs.
2. Most voters do not want to abolish the U.S. Department of Education.
More Democrats and Republican voters oppose eliminating the Department of
Education.
3. Voters, regardless of party or demographic, support connecting
education to jobs and careers, including providing high school students
with pathways that give them choices for college- and career-oriented
options after graduation.

The findings come on the heels of a [11]resounding defeat—three of three
attempts rejected—by voters for efforts to expand vouchers through state
constitutional amendments or state laws. It should be quite clear to
lawmakers that the majority of the public does not want voucher programs.

Many North Carolinians don’t realize that our state is well on its way to
addressing the survey’s third key finding. North Carolina has an excellent
[12]Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that operates in [13]every
single county's public school system.
* CTE programs allow students to explore a range of options for their
future - inside and outside of the classroom.
* Through CTE, students can start their path toward a career that they
are passionate about, while earning valuable experience, college credits
and more.
* CTE students are more likely to have a post-high school plan -
including college - than other students; just 2% of CTE students say they
"don't know" what they will do after high school.

These are programs and schools we should fully support instead of siphoning
off state funds for private schools that have far fewer program choices and
zero accountability for how tax dollars are spent or whether children are
learning.

Legislative and SBE Updates

On Wednesday, January 29, the House and Senate reconvene at noon.
* Senate session ([14]audio)
* House session ([15]livestream)

Also on Wednesday, the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery will hold
their second meeting. They are scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.
([16]livestream)

The NCDPI Whole Child Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, January 27
from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30. ([17]agenda)

National Election: Impact on Education

Executive orders and directives signed this week by our new president and
his cabinet have raised many concerns for those who care about education in
the United States. This week we focus on implications for schools as safe
spaces for children.

On January 21, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson released a
[18]statement on directives that rescinded the Biden Administration's
guidelines that instructed ICE to avoid raids in or near “sensitive” areas
such as schools and churches.

In response, the National Immigration Law Center created a [19]factsheet to
explain “what the protected areas policy was, what laws apply to those
areas now, and what steps advocates and communities can take to support
immigrants in continuing to access critical community spaces and
services.”

This week, WFAE reported that [20]Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools prepare for
potential ICE arrests after reversal of Biden-era policy

We encourage you to read the National Immigration Law Center's fact sheet
so you know the rights you, your schools, and your community members have.

International Day of Education

Friday marked this year's[21] International Day of Education.

It was first established on December 3, 2018, by the United Nations General
Assembly. Their resolution proclaimed January 24 as International Day of
Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and
development.

Through adopting this resolution, the international community affirmed the
importance of education in building sustainable and resilient societies.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
promotes the annual celebration in collaboration with international
partners.

Each year has a theme, and the theme for 2025 is “AI and education:
Preserving human agency in a world of automation.

From the [22]UNESCO website: “... the 2025 International Day of Education
inspires reflections on the power of education to equip individuals and
communities to navigate, understand and influence technological
advancement. As computer and AI-driven systems become more sophisticated,
the boundaries between human intention and machine-driven action often
blur, raising critical questions about how to preserve, redefine, and,
ideally, elevate human agency in an age of technological acceleration.”

In Case You Missed It

[23]NC Superintendent Mo green talks about school funding, cellphones in
the classroom, and listening

[24]The cold truth about schools without heat

[25]The Uber Rich Are Funding "National School Choice Week" to Attack
Public Schools

[26]Defunding Public Schools is Really Unpopular

[27]The Toxic WWE Leadership of Linda McMahon: A Lifelong Wrestling Fan's
Take

[28]Trump names former Tennessee schools chief Penny Schwinn to serve as
deputy education secretary

Did You Know?

According to the latest systematic national canvass of programs by
[29]American Councils for International Education, North Carolina ranks #5
in the nation in the number of dual language and immersion (DLI) programs
in public schools!

California (660), Texas (521) New York (456) and Utah (297) are the only
states with more programs than North Carolina's 229.

When it comes to helping our students prepare for success in a global
community, our public schools shine!

Don't Miss Our Webinars

February 6, 7 p.m. The Cost of Disruption. Join us for a timely
conversation with scholars Dr. Rachel White (University of Texas at Austin)
and Dr. Rebecca Jacobsen (Michigan State University).

We will review the research of Dr. White, co-author of a new study, “The
Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflict on
Public Schools in the United States,” and Dr. Jacobsen, co-author of the
forthcoming “The Politics of Disruption.” Their work details how the
politics of disruption are costing public schools and how the disruption is
negatively impacting school boards and eroding community trust.

There will be time for questions and answers. To prepare for the
discussion, read the report, [30]The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact
of Culturally Divisive Conflict on Public Schools in the United States.

[31]REGISTER HERE

February 27, 7 p.m. A Conversation with Mo Green, NC Superintendent of
Public Instruction

Join NC PTA and Public Schools First NC for the first in our series of
interviews with new public education leaders. Mo Green was elected in
November, 2024 to serve as the next NC Superintendent of Public
Instruction. We will talk to Superintendent Green about his vision for the
Dept. of Public Instruction. Q & A with the audience if time allows.

[32]REGISTER HERE

Did You Miss the Webinar on How to Fight Vouchers?

You won't want to miss this information-filled webinar: How to Fight
Vouchers in 2025: A Toolkit for Advocates.

During the webinar, speakers from Public Funds Public Schools and others
shared resources, tools, and tips to help advocates prepare for crucial
state and federal legislative fights over private school voucher programs
in 2025.

Highlights from the webinar include a demonstration of the [33]PFPS bill
tracker by Education Law Center (ELC) Associate Director of Policy and
Development, Nicole Ciullo; a demonstration of PFPS’s new private and
public school student enrollment [34]data tool by ELC Senior Researcher
Mary McKillip;, insights from ELC Senior Fellow Josh Cowen; and a
presentation by Nicole Fuller from the National Center for Learning
disabilities, who co-chairs the National Coalition for Public Education
(NCPE). The webinar was moderated by ELC Litigation Director and PFPS
Director Jessica Levin.

[35]WATCH HERE

Mark Your Calendar!

Multiple Dates, 7:00-8:30 pm: Resilience and ACES. Learn about Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACES) and resilience. Join us for this
award-winning, 60-minute film, Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The
Science of Hope. This documentary examines how abuse, neglect, and other
adverse childhood experiences affect children’s development & health
outcomes in adulthood. This powerful movie is a conversation starter and a
perspective changer.

[36]REGISTER HERE

All screenings are on Thursday and include time for discussion. Invite a
friend and contact us about setting up a private screening for your school
staff, PTA, civic group, church, or synagogue.
* February 26
* March 27
* April 24

Mark Your Calendar!

Help us support public schools!

Public Schools First NC is a statewide nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit
focused solely

on pre-K to 12 public education issues. We collaborate with parents,
teachers, business and civic leaders, and communities across North Carolina
to advocate for one unified system of public education that prepares each
child for productive citizenship.

[37]DONATE HERE

[38]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]

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Public Schools First NC
PO Box 37832
Raleigh, NC 27627
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