At a hearing last week that put a temporary halt to the new Opportunity Scholarships program, Judge Robert Hobgood learned some new facts about the most popular private schools that school voucher applicants were hoping to use taxpayer funds to attend. Two of the top three private schools identified by voucher applicants [Continue Reading...]

This week, two lawsuits challenging the state’s new school voucher law were green-lighted to move forward by Superior Court Judge Robert H. Hobgood, who denied the state’s motions to dismiss the cases on the basis that they lacked merit. Also green-lighted by Judge Hobgood? An intervenor in the case who is seeking [Continue Reading...]

“Watching what has happened to public education in North Carolina is like watching a tragedy unfold, act by act.” Hard hitting words from historian and public education advocate Diane Ravitch, who addressed hundreds of educators, policy makers and advocates today at the 2014 Emerging Issues Forum in Raleigh. “Teachers and the Great Economic Debate” was [Continue Reading...]

Members of the State Board of Education approved today multiple alternative assessment methods for determining third grade reading proficiency, which were put forth by local school districts in an effort to reduce the burdensome testing methods that have fallen upon third graders across the state thanks to a new law passed in 2012. [Continue Reading...]

Peggy Weil doesn’t usually answer dinnertime phone calls. But one evening last month, she glanced at the caller ID and noticed a call was coming in from a 919 area code instead of the usual 800 number she associates with telemarketers. Figuring it could be a friend or colleague calling from Raleigh, she [Continue Reading...]

Faye Alston spent eight years studying for the General Educational Development exam, better known as the GED. “I knew it was gonna be a struggle because I quit school 40 years ago, at age 17,” said Alston. “But I wanted an education.” First developed in 1942 for soldiers returning home who had enlisted [Continue Reading...]

Few teachers able to express their concerns and objections over new contract system that replaces tenure A grand total of three teachers and two public education advocates attended the NC Department of Public Instruction’s public hearing on the proposed model teacher contract, which local school districts will use to award the top 25 [Continue Reading...]

South Brunswick Charter approved amid questions surrounding charter operator’s financial conduct and conflicts of interest After very little discussion, members of the State Board of Education gave final approval today to 26 charter schools that intend to open in the fall of 2014. Among those approved today is South Brunswick Charter School, [Continue Reading...]

Blurred lines between home schools and private schools open the door for possible fraud and abuse Standing in the doorway of her home, Carol Miller remembers when Paramount Christian Academy was a larger operation. Housed by Westchester Baptist Church in High Point more than ten years ago, the private Christian school then had three teachers, [Continue Reading...]

More teachers left their posts last year—significantly more than the previous year, according to a report released yesterday. The report released by the Department of Public Instruction found that last year’s teacher turnover rate in North Carolina saw a significant increase—and the highest rate over the last five years. Between March 2012 [Continue Reading...]

Durham Public Schools high school English teacher Tim McNamara just got his first up-close look into the implementation of the new teacher contracts that were passed into law last July. The contracts, which will eventually replace teacher tenure and are slated to begin with the 2014-15 school year, were described by DPS’ Office of Human [Continue Reading...]

Asheville Middle School teacher Chris Gable has spent the last decade becoming a fixture in this mountain town. Not only has he taught social studies and language arts to hundreds of its students, he also coaches young writers and budding poets, giving them the confidence they need to keep putting pen to paper. [Continue Reading...]

“It’s time to stop being afraid.” That was the message delivered by Clara Stiers, a Westlake Middle School counselor speaking at a town hall in Apex on the day educators across North Carolina took part in a “walk-in” to protest cuts to public education made by the General Assembly over the past several [Continue Reading...]

Educators prepare for a walk-in; others seek greener pastures On Monday, November 4, many teachers and support staff across North Carolina plan to take part in a “walk-in” to encourage a richer dialogue between community members and educators about what is happening in the state’s public schools. Trish Lowe, a sixth grade social [Continue Reading...]