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January 24, 2026

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

Public Schools are the BEST Choice!

Strong public schools are one of the most important factors in the health
of a community. They are the best choice for families and should be
supported wholeheartedly by our elected leaders. 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 this year, 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 [7]general public strongly supports public
education, with 88% agreeing or strongly agreeing that “We should all
support our neighborhood public schools, be on the side of our teachers,
and make things better for all our kids” and 86% that “Investing in our
children is not a political choice, it is a moral choice, it is the right
choice, and it is a smart choice.”

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 in public schools. Polling found that 93%
of respondents (representing all political groups) believed that hiring
high quality teachers was important and 92% believed that investing in
teacher training and retention was important.

Approximately 70% of North Carolinians do not have children in school, but
they are still affected by the wellbeing of their local school district.
Strong local public schools are an important factor for real estate prices,
which affect every current and future homeowner. Fortunately, it is
[8]widely known that thriving public schools elevate real estate values and
enhance the likelihood of business investments.

Also, 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.

Despite being profoundly under supported, our public schools continue to
perform far above the level of support they receive. North Carolina now
ranks 50th in education funding level, 50th in education funding effort,
and 43rd in average teacher pay. But we are 1st in the number of National
Board Certified teachers and above the national average in qualifying
Advanced Placement exam scores (scores of 3, 4, or 5). North Carolina
students are statistically tied with the national average scores on
National Assessment of Educational Progress tests, and scores on statewide
end-of-grade and end-of-course exams continued to rise this year in nearly
every grade and subject. Our four-year graduation rate reached a record
high of 87.7% this year.

If our lawmakers were truly interested in smart investment in our state’s
future, they would fully support public education. When public schools are
supported, public schools shine.

During the year, 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! Email us at [email protected] to share
your news.

Press Conference to Celebrate Choice in Public Schools

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is recognizing
National School Choice Week with a press conference on Wednesday January 28
at 1:00 to launch "Find Your Fit, Build Your Future," a six-week initiative
showcasing the exceptional educational choices available in North
Carolina's public schools.

North Carolina public schools offer more choices than ever — magnet
programs, charter schools, early colleges, virtual options, career pathways
and specialized programs like dual language immersion and STEM courses —
all tuition-free.

Speakers:
* NC Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice "Mo” Green
* Ashley Logue, Executive Director of the Office of Charter Schools
* Sneha Shah-Coltrane, Senior Director of Advanced Learning & Gifted
Education
* Trey Michael, Senior Director of Career and Technical Education

Attend the press conference at NCDPI, 301 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC.
7th Floor Boardroom or access the press conference via[9] Zoom.

New Resource: County Profile Data

Public Schools First NC has created a new resource to make it easier to
find county-specific information from a wide variety of organizations
including Every Child NC, MyFutureNC, NC Budget & Tax Center, NC Rural
Center, and the Public School Forum.

We gathered together a variety of education information and made it
available via one web page. We also created a state map where you can
easily access information about one county. [10]Check it out!

NC Primary Voting Has Started!

North Carolina’s 100 county boards of elections have started sending
absentee-by-mail ballots to registered voters who requested a ballot for
the 2026 primary election.

This marks the start of voting for our March 3 primary election. Voters who
have already requested absentee-by-mail ballots should receive them in the
coming days. In North Carolina, any eligible voter can request, receive,
and vote an absentee ballot by mail.

The absentee ballot request deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 17. Election
officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot as
early as possible to ensure there is time to receive it and then send it
back to their county board of elections so that it is received no later
than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day – March 3.

Find more information at [11]NCSBE.GOV or [12]VOTE411.org.

Webinar: All Risk, No Reward for Public Ed: What's Ahead for the Federal
Voucher Program

Thursday, February 5, 2026 3:00 p.m.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” created a federal tax credit voucher
program that lets taxpayers contribute up to $1,700 annually to a
Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar
tax credit. The voucher scheme carries tremendous risk for public
education, which may be compounded by forthcoming regulations from the
federal Treasury. This webinar will explain the voucher program’s
framework, indications that states will only have a rubber stamp role if
they opt into the program, and the potential impact on students and
communities.

Speakers include NC Representative Julie von Haefen!

[13]Register Here

Check Out Our New Report!

Our new report, [14]North Carolina School Vouchers: Destroying Public
Education, takes a close look at North Carolina’s voucher programs, showing
how they have mutated far beyond their original legislated purpose to
become a massive drain on the state budget.

North Carolina School Vouchers examines the history, growth, and policies
of the state’s two programs and offers recommendations for change. It is a
terrific resource for answering all of your voucher questions!

In Case You Missed It

[15]New Fayetteville State major to address special education shortage

[16]'Slap in the face': Children of veterans scholarship partially revoked
for about 100 UNC students

[17]NC Schools that Rely on International Teachers Brace for Visa Changes

[18]Rebuking Trump, Congress Moves to Maintain Most Federal Education
Funding

[19]From Head Start to Civil Rights, 8 Ways Trump Reshaped Education in
Just 1 Year

Summer Internship Opportunity - Deadline Jan. 30

This is an excellent program through the North Carolina Network of
Grantmakers. Please share the information widely!

The Nonprofit Internship Program (NPIP) pairs college students with NC
nonprofits for paid summer internships. This program is designed for Pell
Grant-eligible students, recognizing that unpaid internships are often not
feasible.

Applicants have the opportunity to be matched with a nonprofit host
organization where they spend eight weeks interning over the summer.
Internships offer a range of exposure and skill-building opportunities in
areas including research, community outreach, public policy, communication,
fundraising and social media.

[20]LEARN MORE

Sponsors Needed to Help Provide Summer Meals

The[21] North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is seeking
schools and fiscally responsible community organizations to serve as
sponsors for NC Summer Nutrition Programs in 2026 to help ensure children
who have limited access to food at home get the educational enrichment and
nutritious meals they need for optimal growth, development and overall
well-being.

Of particular need are schools and community organizations in rural areas,
Indian Tribal Territories and areas with a concentration of migrant farm
workers, where access to summer meal sites or transportation has been an
issue.

Sponsor applications for NC Summer Nutrition Programs are due March 1,
2026. For more information, please visit the [22]NCDPI Summer Nutrition
Program website or contact the NCDPI Summer Nutrition Program team.



Calling on NC Rural Elementary Educators

Do you want to participate in a research study?

Jennifer Jones, doctoral student, is conducting a research study to learn
how experienced elementary teachers stay strong and keep teaching, even
when the job is hard. This study looks at two main things: getting support
from other people (social teams) and having a clear purpose in life. By
sharing their own stories, teachers will show how resilience helps them
continue making a difference for their students.

If you have at least 5 years of full-time teaching experience and teach at
the elementary level in a rural school in North Carolina, you may qualify
to participate.

Participation includes completing a demographic survey and taking part in a
60-90 minute Zoom interview and follow up meeting. Participants will
receive a $75 Amazon gift card.

[23]See more details 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.

[24]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, 2026
* March 26, 2026

Words to Remember

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an
inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

— Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963

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.

[25]DONATE HERE

[26]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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