February 8, 2025

[1]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org
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Critical Mission: Saving The U.S. Dept. of Education

The flurry of executive orders from the White House continued this week
along with [7]news of an executive order being drafted to dismantle the
U.S. Department of Education (ED). Although the White House doesn’t have
authority to dismantle the ED outright, it could take steps to roll
back/freeze current initiatives and enforcement efforts while
disrupting/firing employees who are responsible for carrying out essential
functions.

The White House is also likely to pressure Congress to shift ED
responsibilities to other agencies. While these efforts have failed in the
past, the new administration seems determined to pressure lawmakers to do
its bidding.

It is worth noting that one of the primary purposes of creating the U.S.
Department of Education in 1980 was to promote [8]increased efficiency.
Before 1980, functions of the Office of Education were located in various
departments such as the Department of Interior, and U.S. Department of
Health Education and Welfare which resulted in “duplicative burdens and
constraints.”

Most of the money for education in North Carolina comes from state and
local funds, but a significant amount comes from the federal government,
especially for low-income schools. These funds provide critical services
for our state's neediest children.

In 2023-24, [9]17% of funds for North Carolina education came from the
federal government while 60% came from the state and 23% came from local
coffers. Low-income districts receive a higher percentage from the federal
government. For example, Weldon City Schools, a Title 1 district, relied on
the federal government for [10]28% of its funds.

The role of the U.S. Department of Education falls into a few main
categories; most of its work is established by federal law, so change will
require action by Congress.

Ensuring equal access to education and preventing discrimination. Title 1
funding provides billions to state and local school systems, especially to
low-income districts. [11]Title 1 funding is required by the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965. This law also provides funding for other
underserved communities, including English language learners, students with
disabilities, and students in rural communities.

The[12] Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)—based on a law that dates
back to 1975—supports states and communities in protecting the rights of
students with disabilities and meeting the needs of children with
disabilities and their families.

The ED also enforces [13]civil rights laws such as [14]Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race,
color, or national origin and [15]Title IX, which prevents discrimination
in federally funded education on the basis of sex.

Establishing policies on federal financial aid for college, and
distributing as well as monitoring those funds. The federal government
administers several grant programs (e.g. [16]Pell Grants) for low-income
students, and it manages the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA), which is required for students to get access to college financial
aid. The ED also manages the federal student portfolio of approximately
[17]$1.6 trillion in student debt.

Collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research. The most
widely known data national collection program is the [18]National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which has been monitoring
student achievement since 1969. But NAEP is just one of many roles of the
[19]National Center for Education Statistics, which was established in 1987
to collect and analyze data about education in the U.S.

All of these functions are vital in ensuring that educators, families, and
students across the nation have access to the information and resources
they need to ensure that every child, regardless of ability or geography,
has access to a quality public education.

Teacher Pay Still at the Bottom

Since 2011, the NC General Assembly (NCGA) has systematically cut teacher
benefits and given lower-than-inflation pay raises, severely diminishing
the conditions for the state’s public school educators and crippling the
recruitment and retention of our teaching professionals. Each legislative
session, the NCGA has the opportunity to reverse course and send the
message that it values public education and our teachers. An essential step
is to adjust the base salaries (paid by the state) to a competitive level.

The [20]State Salary Schedule, which sets North Carolina teachers’ base
(minimum) salary, starts certified beginning teachers with a bachelor’s
degree and no experience at $41,000 in 2024-25.

North Carolina has the lowest starting salary of states in the southern
region that publish a state minimum salary schedule, even lower than
Mississippi, the poorest state in the nation.

The minimum salary trajectory for the southern region also shows that for
most years North Carolina’s minimum salary lags behind other states except
for a few years when the minimum salary slightly outpaces South Carolina,
West Virginia and Mississippi.

But because the North Carolina state salaries are frozen during years 15
through 24, they soon fall back to the lowest in the region. This creates a
clear competitive disadvantage for North Carolina in attracting and
retaining teachers. Teachers don’t have to move very far to experience a
much better financial situation.

During the 2024 legislative short session, the NCGA had the opportunity to
give teachers a substantial pay raise. Instead, the legislature added $480
million to the private school voucher fund. This money could have gone
toward paying our teachers a competitive wage rather than to a program that
depletes our public schools.

Between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years, the salary for a
[21]first-year teacher increased by $2,000, a 5.13% bump that was still too
small to raise the starting salary above Mississippi's starting salary.

Teachers with 7 years to 25+ years of experience received a salary increase
of 2% or less. For example, teachers in their 15th through 24th years of
teaching [22]made only $820 more in 2024-25 than in 2023-24, a 1.55%
increase.

Read our [23]fact sheet for more information and [24]contact your
legislators to urge them to substantially raise teacher salaries this year!

NC Teacher on Teacher Pay

As part of their [25]Teachers Talk series, this week Public Education Works
features Erin Walsh, a math teacher at Onslow Early College High School.

Erin retired from teaching and returned as a part-time educator so she
could make more money. In her video, she shares the changes she has seen in
her 29 years as a North Carolina educator and suggestions for what the
state must do to attract the best and brightest.

[26]video

Legislative and SBE Updates

On Monday, the House and Senate convenes to continue their work. The House
begins at 11:00 ([27]livestream) and the Senate begins at 3:00 ([28]audio).

Keep your eye on the [29]legislative calendar for updates. Dates and times
change frequently.

Check our [30]Week in Review for highlights of legislative actions and the
status of bills. Below are a few highlights:

[31]House Bill 47 "Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 - Part 1" appropriates
$500 million for additional disaster relief. This is slightly more than the
amount appropriated to private school vouchers for 24-25 by [32]HB10 passed
in November.

[33]House Bill 55 "Publish Central Office Employment Information" requires
public school districts to publish on a website the salaries of all central
office employees. The bill makes no mention of salary transparency for
voucher-receiving private schools.

[34]Senate Bill 48 " Access to Sports and Extracurriculars for All" would
permit students who attend private schools or home schools to participate
in sports or other extracurricular programs at their local public school.

In its monthly meeting the State Board of Education [35]passed its
legislative priorities with a provision urging state lawmakers to halt all
new voucher funding.

Bad Bill Alert!

Last Friday, a number of senators, including both N.C. senators, introduced
a bill that would provide $10 billion in annual tax credits to fund private
and religious schools.

[36]Senate Bill 292 "Educational Choice for Children Act
(ECCA), establishes tax credits for individuals and corporations who make
charitable contributions to organizations that give scholarships – or
vouchers – for students to attend private schools.

This is simply another way to divert money away from the public good.
Vouchers overwhelmingly fund wealthy families who already send their
children to private school.

Please call our senators and urge them to reject this BAD BILL! Their DC
office and NC office numbers are shown below. You can call them all! If you
get a busy signal, just keep trying. It may take several attempts.

[37]Ted Budd: (202)224-3154, (336)941-4470, (828)333-4130, (984)349-5061,
and (910)218-7600

[38]Thom Tillis: (202)224-6342, (704)509-9087, (252)329-0371,
(828)693-8750, (336)885-0685, and (919)856-4630

In Case You Missed It

[39]Five NC Educators receive Presidential Awards for Excellence in
Mathematics and Science Teaching

[40]Teachers are priced out of homeownership. A CMS initiative will change
that

[41]School crime drops, assaults on personnel rise in NC after surge. What
about suspensions?

[42]The Trump administration disbanded a federal school safety board. Now
what?

[43]U.S. Department of Education revokes Biden-era charter school
regulations, aligns with Trump's school choice policies

Don't Miss Our Webinar!

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.

[44]REGISTER HERE

The Cost of Disruption

On Thursday, February 6, Public Schools First NC hosted scholars Dr. Rachel
White (University of Texas at Austin) and Dr. Rebecca Jacobsen (Michigan
State University) in a discussion of their research on the fiscal and human
cost to schools of culturally divisive conflict.

They were joined by New Hanover County school board member Judy Justice,
who shared her experiences of the extremist takeover of their school board
and how the community responded.

[45]Watch it HERE

Read Dr. White's report: [46]The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of
Culturally Divisive Conflict on Public Schools in the United States.

Virtual Office Hours with NCPTA & PSFNC

Join us (NCPTA, PSFNC) monthly 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

[47]Join 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.

[48]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

Opportunity for Aspiring Teachers!

Do you know an aspiring teacher?

If yes, they may be eligible for a scholarship from NCAE's charitable arm,
the NC Foundation for Public School Children. The Mary Morrow-Edna Richards
Scholarship is an opportunity for high school seniors and college juniors
who want to teach in North Carolina. [49]The deadline to apply is February
15!

Join the NC PTA

Support the schools in your community by joining the [50]North Carolina PTA
. You don’t have to have a child in a school or be an educator to join.

Consider joining the [51]NCPTA-Member-At-Large PTA – the perfect PTA
membership for community members!

If you do have a child in school, please contact the school directly to
join the PTA.

NCPTA partners with Givebacks to provide online membership payment for
PTAs. You can search [52]this table to see a list of schools and sign up.
If you do not see your PTA listed, online payments may not have been
activated in your PTA’s Givebacks site.

Words to Remember

"Millions of families of color as well as poor whites stand to lose as they
truly have no choice other than to enroll their children in underfunded,
segregated schools, public, private, or charter. Choice has provided a
safety net for some but the majority are in peril."

— Jon Hale, The Choice We Face p. 165

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.

[53]DONATE HERE

[54]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]

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