Celebrate Public Schools Week! |
February 24 to February 28 is Public Schools Week 2025! In NC, the vast majority of our K-12 students are enrolled in public schools. Throughout our state, there are about 2700 public schools and more than 1.5 million students! Public Schools ARE Important! Public schools unite us – they bring students together from diverse backgrounds, welcome all students, and give them an opportunity to receive a quality education. They provide a strong economic foundation for our local communities by preparing citizens who are equipped to fully participate in society and in our nation’s democracy. High-quality public schools bolster real-estate values and help businesses thrive. Public schools are a HUGE PART of our communities. Public Schools Week is a time when our students, parents, educators, business and community leaders can work together to highlight the strength and potential of our state's public schools and our students' futures. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS! In 1868, our legislative leaders affirmed that a free, sound, basic education is so important to the well-being of our state’s social, cultural and economic well-being that they included this right to education in our state constitution. North Carolina gives its children a right to an education through both the state constitution and state laws. The North Carolina Constitution addresses a right to education in two places. Article 1, Section 15 says, “The people have a right to the privilege of education, and it is the duty of the State to guard and maintain that right.” Article IX: Education has ten sections. Several about primary/secondary education are critical: Section 1 says “… the means of education shall be forever encouraged,” Section 2 addresses the duty of the state and local government to provide a uniform system of free public schools “…wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for all students,” and Sections 5, 6 and 7 reference “free public” schools.” |
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State laws also make education a right in North Carolina. For example, N.C.G.S. 115C-1 states that “A general and uniform system of free public schools shall be provided throughout the State, wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for all students, in accordance with the provisions of Article IX of the Constitution of North Carolina. Tuition shall be free of charge to all children of the State, and to every person of the State less than 21 years old, who has not completed a standard high school course of study.” In 1997, the North Carolina Supreme Court determined that all children in North Carolina are entitled to a “sound basic education,” which means there is a qualitative component to the North Carolina’s system of public schools. The State is obligated to meet a quality standard and not simply provide buildings and teachers. In Leandro v. State, 346 N.C. 336 (1997), the Court defined “sound basic education” as that which provides children and youth with all the opportunities necessary to become an adult possessing: - Sufficient ability to read, write, speak English and sufficient knowledge of fundamental math and physical science to enable students to function in a complex and rapidly changing society
- Sufficient fundamental knowledge of geography, history, basic economic and political systems to enable students to make informed choices about issues that affect the student personally, or affect the student’s community, state, and nation
- Sufficient academic and vocational skills to enable the student to successfully engage in post-secondary education or vocational training and to compete with others in further formal education or gainful employment.”
In summary, North Carolina’s early leaders made public education an essential part of North Carolina’s duty to prepare students for responsible citizenship. No child should be denied access to learning based on their socioeconomic status, race, ability, disability, income, zip code or other factors. They recognized hundreds of years ago that public schooling was a way to promote cohesion across social classes and improve social outcomes for all students. Over 150 years later, North Carolina has more highly qualified teachers in the nation, with the most National Board Certified teachers and more in the National Board certification process than any other state. At the same time, due to record high attrition rates, North Carolina is relying more and more on teachers coming to the profession through alternative pathways that allow teachers to “learn on the job” as they work on becoming fully licensed. North Carolina public schools are working hard to prepare students for college AND careers. There are 134 early college high schools in North Carolina that allow students to earn college credit while in high school and every district in the state has a career tech program that connects students with real-world job experiences and career pathways. Join Us In Celebrating Our Public Schools Together! NCPTA and Public Schools First NC have teamed up to celebrate the valuable contributions of educators and education advocates in our public schools and the communities they serve throughout our state. We invite you to share stories about the great things happening at your school - lift up the successes of your educators, your volunteers, your students, and administrators. Help us celebrate the fabulous programs going on in your schools. Tell us why your public school is AWESOME! Email us at [email protected] so we can share your pride! |
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Feds Cut Teacher Ed. Program Grants |
The North Carolina teacher pipeline took a hit last week as teacher education programs across the state got the news that their federal Teaching Quality Partnership grants had been cut. Across the nation, more than $600 million, in TQP grants were cut. These programs support developing teachers who work in high-needs schools and are seen as an important tool to address critical teacher shortages. For example, Winston Salem's TEACH program, “was created to address teacher shortages, especially in Title I schools where turnover rates are significantly higher. Allman said Winston-Salem’s Title I schools have a 17% teacher turnover rate. That’s double the state average and nearly twice that of non-Title I schools in the city.” Without the federal dollars, which make up about 80% of the program’s funding, administrators are looking to other sources of funding. East Carolina's grant began in 2022 and was scheduled to run through 2027. Their edPIRATE program is “a partnership between ECU and Greene County, Lenoir County, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank, Tyrrell County, Perquimans County and Washington County school districts. In exchange for a $41,000 living stipend while enrolled, the new teachers agree to serve as an educator in one of the partner districts for three years after completion..." Charlotte-area schools that partnered with local universities are also facing cuts due to the cancelled grants. “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools lost three grants totaling over $5 million in 2025 and 2026, including one grant partially funding an advanced teacher training program. As part of the Teacher-Leader Pathway program, the district sought to attract a diverse range of highly effective teachers to work at high-need schools.” The grant program had awarded funds to universities across the state: - East Carolina University
- High Point University
- NC A&T
- Pfeiffer University
- UNC Chapel Hill
- UNC Charlotte
- UNC Greensboro
- Winston Salem State University
Many recipient schools serve historically underrepresented students, so the loss of the funds is a serious blow to the students as well as their communities. More cuts to training and retention programs have been announced, with Wake County standing to lose $12 million. The decisions can be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education. |
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Another Failing Voucher Program Gets Expanded |
In what is becoming a familiar story, voucher proponents remain undeterred by stark evidence that students who use vouchers to attend private school actually do worse academically. Recent reporting on Louisiana's voucher program is the latest in a growing body of evidence that vouchers hurt student achievement. While Louisiana’s public school results are admittedly much too low, the voucher results are deep, deep down in the basement. Only 14% of the voucher students achieved mastery on state tests compared to 24% of low-income public school students and 32% of all public school students. Louisiana’s voucher program has been showing worse academic results for students since its inception in 2012. Yet despite the documented failures, a new, expanded program (LA GATOR) was signed into law June 2024 and goes into effect next year. |
Unlike North Carolina’s voucher programs, Louisiana’s program requires private schools to accept all voucher students and administer the same state test as public school students. If the NCGA were serious about student learning, legislators would pass similar legislation in North Carolina. Louisiana also rates its private schools if they enroll enough voucher students. In the previous school year, nearly 80% of the private schools rated received a D or F. Currently, North Carolina has no rating system for private schools even though all public schools receive a publicly available school report card that includes multiple data points including test score results. Since the programs launched, North Carolina has spent nearly $1.5 billion on vouchers. It’s time for taxpayers to get a hard look at how that money is being spent and what students are learning. It’s time for real accountability! |
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Legislative and SBE Updates |
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Public Schools Matter for Everyone! |
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| Whether You Have a Child in School or Not, Public Schools Matter! Here's Why. By Sandra Simpson, freelance writer, CPA, and commercial real estate broker in Raleigh, NC Public school districts significantly influence property values across North Carolina. As noted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), "School quality is a major consideration for homebuyers and can dramatically affect property prices." Recently, as I transitioned into an "empty-nester" phase and decided to downsize, my real estate agent strongly recommended buying in an area with top-tier public schools. Here's why this advice is invaluable: Strong Public Schools Increase Real-Estate Value and Investment Potential The quality of a public school district plays a pivotal role in maintaining or boosting a property’s resale value. Homes in highly-rated districts tend to attract more prospective buyers, resulting in sustained demand and higher resale prices. A solid school reputation ensures long-term value. A study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that home values increased $20.00 for every $1.00 spent on public schools in a community. It’s hard to beat that return on investment! Properties in top-rated school districts typically experience faster appreciation and are more likely to retain value over time when the schools maintain their quality. This trend appeals to both residential buyers and commercial developers looking for prime investment opportunities. READ MORE |
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| The latest data out on voucher demographics shows that the percentage of white recipients continues to grow while the percentage of all other demographic groups is shrinking. White recipients have grown from 27% in the first year of the OS voucher program to 74% so far this year. In contrast, Black recipients have fallen from 51% to just 11% this year. Access our fact sheet here. |
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One Year Anniversary for Leandro Oral Arguments Ed. 4 |
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| On February 22, 2024, the North Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Leandro Case—again. At stake are millions in state dollars the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling had ordered to be turned over to districts to fulfill the legislature's constitutional obligation to fund public schools. NCGA leaders Rep. Tim Moore and Senator Phil Berger refused and appealed the 2022 ruling, which let to the 2024 round of oral arguments Now, one year later, the Court has not yet released a ruling. Read our fact sheet on Leandro Watch a webinar with NC legal experts on Leandro. |
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| February 27, 7:00 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. Green was elected in November, 2024 to serve as NC Superintendent of Public Instruction. We will talk to Superintendent Green about his vision for the Department of Public Instruction and public schooling in North Carolina. Q & A with the audience if time allows. REGISTER HERE |
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Event at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill |
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| Thursday, March 13. You won't want to miss meeting Derek Black and hearing him talk about his newest book, Dangerous Learning: The South's Long War on Black Literacy. Join Public Schools First at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill (752 MLK Jr. Blvd.) for a book signing and talk. Book signing begins at 5:30 and the talk begins at 6:00 |
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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 |
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 26
- April 24
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Words to Remember"In the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the largest academic declines ever apparent in the education research record, on any topic, have been attributable to school vouchers." — Josh Cowan, The Privateers |
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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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