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 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.
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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 share your stories here.
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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
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Survey Shows Strong Support for Public Schools |
A recent 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:
- A majority of voters, regardless of party, support public education and would choose to use federal funding on public schools over voucher programs.
- Most voters do not want to abolish the U.S. Department of Education. More Democrats and Republican voters oppose eliminating the Department of Education.
- 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.
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The findings come on the heels of a 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 Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that operates in 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.
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Legislative and SBE Updates |
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On Wednesday, January 29, the House and Senate reconvene at noon.
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. (livestream)
The NCDPI Whole Child Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, January 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30. (agenda)
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National Election: Impact on Education |
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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 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 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 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.
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International Day of Education |
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Friday marked this year's 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 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.”
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According to the latest systematic national canvass of programs by 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!
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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, The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflict on Public Schools in the United States.
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.
REGISTER HERE
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Did You Miss the Webinar on How to Fight Vouchers? |
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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 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 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.
WATCH HERE
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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.
REGISTER HERE
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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
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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.
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