
A guide to education items in North Carolina’s new budget
Contents The budget process Private school vouchers Pay raises Charter schools School funding School curriculum School safety and health School nutrition Data and digital learning Other K-12 items Early childhood Community colleges Historically, education is the largest area of the state budget — and that is true again in this year’s new state budget, passed on Sept.…

Advice from Michigan to North Carolina on how to split child care cost between government, business, and parents
Editor’s Note: Katie Dukes contributed reporting. North Carolina soon will launch a pilot at three local Smart Start partnerships based on a Michigan program that splits the cost of child care between businesses, employees, and state government.…

Gov. Cooper’s DRIVE Task Force stops in Asheville
Since Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order in 2019 creating the DRIVE Task Force, the group has focused on strategies of recruiting, preparing, and retaining educators of color.…

Perspective | The Dreamcatchers: North Carolina’s community colleges
The night air is full of dreams. According to the Native American Ojibwe tribe, the dreamcatcher lets in the good dreams as they find their way through to the center of the circle.…

Perspective | Children, parents, schools, and funding ‘cliffs’
A financial “cliff” hangs over infants, toddlers, and parents in North Carolina. When the pandemic-relief infusion of federal funding for child care and preschool runs out, the state does not have a sufficient budget to buttress a system in crisis.…
Hannah McClellan’s guide to the budget is out. Last week, I issued too quickly some observations about the budget based on initial interviews. Some of you raised concerns, and many of you have sent us lots and lots of questions about this budget. My thanks to Hannah, Anna, and Lauren Fox at the Public School Forum of NC for clarifying the concerns, and tracking down answers to many of the questions. As you read Hannah’s guide, let her know what you think via email hmclellan at ednc.org. There is a long, long way to go to understanding the impact of this budget on our public schools.
A bit of serendipity. The state budget includes money for a pilot in three counties based on a Michigan program that splits the cost of child care between businesses, employees, and state government. At the same time, the budget was being released, Katie and Liz were in Michigan learning more about the program. Take a look at what they learned.
Anita Brown-Graham and Cecilia Holden are the authors of the Dreamcatchers perspective so please take a look over the weekend and share. “We see our state’s community colleges as dreamcatchers,” they write.
Here is your playlist for the weekend from Jeff McDaris.
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A Huge School-Choice Win in North Carolina
Whether you agree or disagree, if you care about public schools, you should read this article. On the expansion of school choice in NC, the authors write, "It reveals a monumental shift in the politics of education."... Read the rest
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