Most Vouchers Going to Students Already in Private School |
This week staff at the Department of Public Instruction presented their report on Opportunity Scholarship voucher use for 2024-25 to the State Board of Education. According to data they shared from the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (administrators of the Opportunity Scholarship voucher program) only 6,710 of the 80,325 students who received taxpayer-funded private school tuition vouchers this school year had been enrolled in a North Carolina public school last year. In other words, 92% of ALL tuition vouchers used in 2024-25 went to students who were already enrolled in private school, were newcomers to the state, or were just starting school. However, about 27K of the total 80K voucher recipients are returning students who also received a voucher last year. A portion of those students may have transferred out of public school the prior year. But if we look at only new voucher recipients for 2024-25, a whopping 87% never attended a North Carolina public school. |
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These data are similar to findings in other states where voucher access has become universal. In New Hampshire, 89% of new voucher recipients were already in private school. In Wisconsin, 77% were already in private school. In Arizona, 80% had never attended public school. Reporting on the $57 million in tuition payments to private schools in Wake County this year highlighted that for some private school families, the vouchers provide a welcome boost to their disposable income. Because the state is now taking over a sizable chunk of their private school tuition payment, they can afford to pay for more extracurricular activities for their children and even “take more family vacations.” In other words, North Carolina’s voucher program is essentially putting extra money into the pockets of private school families. Lawmakers who continue to vote for voucher funding are prioritizing private school tuition payments for families that have never given public schools a chance to educate their children. Budget negotiations are happening now. Lawmakers could shift some of the $731 million currently appropriated for vouchers in 2025-26 out of the Opportunity Scholarship Fund and into K-12 Education where it should be. Our public schools serve ALL students who enter their doors. They deserve to be fully funded by our lawmakers. |
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Join Public Schools First NC and Public Ed Works this Summer! |
Summer is almost here and school is out, but let’s not forget to celebrate the great work of our public schools, our educators, students, and supportive families! In NC, the vast majority of our K-12 students are enrolled in public schools. Throughout our state, there are about 2,700 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. |
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 I and Article IX. - Article I, 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.”
State laws also make education a right in North Carolina. For example, N.C.G.S. 115-C1 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.” Join Us In Celebrating Our Public Schools Together! Public Schools First NC and Public Ed Works 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. When it comes to educating our state’s children, Public Schools should be funded First because our constitution requires it and because Public Ed Works! Help us celebrate the many ways that public education is working in our communities for our communities and students.. Tell us how your school is making a difference and why your public school is AWESOME! Email us at [email protected] or [email protected] so we can share your pride! |
Check Out Our NEW Spanish Videos! |
We have two new videos in Spanish! They are translations of our English-language videos titled "What is the School Privatization Playbook?" and "The North Carolina Education Lottery." If you prefer Spanish-language information or know someone who does, please share! |
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Legislative and SBE Updates |
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| The NC House reconvenes Monday, June 9 at 1:00. The Senate reconvenes at 3:00 p.m. Agendas, streaming information, and updated information are found on the legislative calendar. See our Week in Review for a summary of bills, bills that made crossover, and key education bills to watch. |
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Help Stop Federal Private School Vouchers! |
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| A huge tax cut for the wealthy in the form of a private school voucher tax credit is in the U.S. House budget bill that narrowly passed the House and is now being debated by the Senate. The harmful voucher program basically functions as a tax shelter that provides $5 BILLION per year for four years ($20 BILLION!) in dollar-for-dollar tax credits for people who give money to organizations that distribute vouchers. This voucher tax credit scheme preferences donating to voucher programs because it pays out 100%, dollar-for dollar tax credits. Most other charitable giving, such as donations to hospitals, veterans’ assistance groups, homeless shelters, etc. returns no more than 35% of each dollar donated. Currently, North Carolina does not have the type of voucher program described by the federal bill, so it would add a NEW VOUCHER PROGRAM to the current programs that already take hundreds of millions in tax dollars that should be funding other state programs. The federal program does not require voucher recipients to have ever attended a public school (similar to current NC school voucher programs), so the money will effectively shift tax revenue from the public sector to private school families. Don’t let federal lawmakers fund billions in private school vouchers through tax credits while they make cuts to Medicaid, food aid for low-income families (SNAP), federal education, environmental protections, FEMA, and more. Contact your federal lawmakers to voice your strong opposition to tax cuts for our wealthiest citizens. Please call the offices of Ted Budd and Thom Tillis! Then send an email to urge them to stop federal vouchers. |
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| Charter Schools operate under looser standards than public schools. Unlike private schools, charter schools must follow many of the regulations that guide traditional public schools. But important regulations are waived for charter schools, raising serious questions about their continued operation. - Free and reduced lunch and transportation are not required .
- Teachers don't need specific credentials nor is professional development required.
- Each school can decide their calendar and class sizes.
- They are not required to be governed by citizen-elected school boards.
- Their funding is not bound by competitive bidding requirements.
Read more at North Carolina Charter Schools: Undermining Quality Education for All. |
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Invest in NC's Future: Support Pub Schools in the State Budget |
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| By Ella Ridgway, education major at Western Carolina University I am writing to urge lawmakers to increase funding for North Carolina schools as they prepare the next state budget. My name is Ella Ridgway and I am an education major at Western Carolina University. As someone who attended an underfunded North Carolina public high school, I have seen firsthand the effects of insufficient investment in public education. Schools are not just places where children learn academic subjects; they are the foundations for the next generation of leaders, professionals and well-functioning citizens. I want to highlight three key reasons why schools must receive more funding: they shape children, they serve as mechanisms for social mobility and they contribute to society’s well-being. First, schools provide more than just education; they shape children’s social development. Schools offer a safe environment where children are cared for while their parents work. For many families, schools are the only place where they can leave their children with peace of mind. Beyond safety, schools teach essential social skills such as cooperation, sharing and conflict resolution. Children’s understanding of race, gender and socioeconomic status is formed in school, and these experiences shape how they view the world. If schools are underfunded, the safety and social development of future generations could be compromised, affecting their ability to contribute meaningfully to society as adults. READ MORE |
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| Tuesday, June 10, noon - 1 p.m. Join PSFNC and UNC law professor Barbara Fedders to discuss our latest report, North Carolina Charter Schools: Undermining Quality Education for All. We will discuss important findings in the report about problematic features of charter schools in North Carolina: racial segregation, exclusionary student discipline, the rate of school closures, and financial mismanagement. There will be time for Q & A, so come ready to discuss! REGISTER HERE |
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Calling Western NC Educators! |
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| Call for Participants: Oral History Project for WNC Educators Affected by Hurricane Helene Dr. Amelia Wheeler (Western Carolina University) and Dr. Morgan Tate (University of Georgia) are launching a research project titled Beyond the Storm: A Tribute to Appalachian Teachers and Their Stories. This oral history project seeks to document the experiences of public school educators in Western North Carolina who taught during and after Hurricane Helene. If you are a K–12 public school educator in the Appalachian region and were working in a school impacted by Hurricane Helene, you may be eligible to participate. Participation includes: - A one-hour, audio-recorded interview conducted at a location of your choice in your community
- A $100 gift card as a thank-you
- Optional review of interview excerpts before public sharing or publication
- A $75 contribution offered to your school district to offset substitute costs (if the interview occurs during the school day)
Interviews will take place between May and September 2025. The project aims to honor educators' stories and make visible the critical roles they play during times of crisis. Interested in participating? Want to know more? Please Contact: |
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| Need a speaker for your next event or group meeting? PSFNC welcomes the opportunity to speak to your group or organization on public education-related topics. We offer our programs virtually to improve accessibility and attendance and therefore extend your reach. Our services are free of charge but may require travel-related expenses if the program is in-person. Email us at [email protected] for more information. |
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Words to Remember"Be wary of oversimplified solutions to complex challenges. Invest not only in outcomes, but in the conditions that produce them — teacher retention, culturally relevant pedagogy, instructional materials that reflect diverse experiences and perspectives and learning environments that allow our students to feel safe, both physically and emotionally." — Kimberly Jones, NC Teacher of the Year 2023-24 |
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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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