North Carolina Public Policy Boot Camp: fostering students’ understanding of public policy and the effects on their daily lives

What is Public Policy Boot Camp? 

Nate Barilich, EdNC Summer Fellow 

A public policy boot camp for students, designed by teachers

Telling student stories to change public policy

Change: The fairy tale come to life

There are many tools to use throughout the the next two hours to tweet questions, thoughts, and share overall excitement.

At Education NC we are “Including you in the conversation about our schools.”

Twitter: @EducationNC
Facebook: @EducationNC
Instagram: @educationnc

Test Yourself: Representation in the House

Take a few minutes and complete the below polls. Feel free to comment and leave thoughts.

Each session of the General Assembly in North Carolina convenes for two years – often referred to as a biennium.  

• “Long” session started on January 28, 2015
  • Bills are introduced and a two-year budget is adopted.
  • The state’s fiscal year runs July1-June 30.
  • The “long” session typically it lasts until July or so.
  • This year, the General Assembly adjourned on September 30th, making it the longest “long” session since 2002. It ran 13 weeks past the end of the fiscal year.
•  “Short” session convened in April 2016 and ended July 1, 2016
  • During the “short” session, bills that have passed one house, recommendations from a study commission, or issues related to the budget are in play during the short session.  
  • Earlier start than in previous years
  • This session, lawmakers changed the primary date to March, and with the primary date moved up, the “short” session can begin earlier.
    

• This is a Citizen part-time legislature.
• 120 Members of the N.C. House.
• 50 Members of the N.C. Senate.
•  All legislators serve 2 year terms.
  • How does this compare to our polling data?
  • Should we pay legislators more and have a full time pay system vs. part time pay?

Republicans control all three branches of government for the first time since 1898:

• Pat McCrory, Governor
• Veto-Proof Majority in the House and Senate
• Majority on the N.C. Supreme Court

How does this compare to the poll data?

Test Yourself: Representation in the House

Take a few minutes and complete the below poll. Feel free to comment and leave thoughts.

2015-2016 Session: House

• Republicans: 74 (62%)
• Democrats: 45 (37%)
• Unaffiliated: 1 (1%)
• Men: 94 (78%)
• Women: 26 (22%)
• White: 97 (81%)
• Black: 22 (18%)
• American Indian: 1 (1%) (C. Graham)
• Latino: 0 (0%)

How does this data compare to your polls?

How about populations in the state of N.C.? Use EdNC Data Dashboard

Trend in Pupil Membership for NC Public Schools by Race/Ethnicity, 1989-2016

Test Yourself: Representation in the Senate 

Take a few minutes and complete the above poll. Feel free to comment and leave thoughts.

2015-2016 Session: Senate

• Republicans: 34 (68%)
• Democrats: 16 (32%)
• Men: 38 (76%)
• Women: 12 (24%)
• White: 39 (78%)
• American Indian: 0 (0%)
• Black: 11 (22%)
• Latino: 1 (2%) (Apodaca)

How does this data compare to your polls?
Is this similar to what we have learned about the NC House?

“20 Members are Serving First Elected Term in N.C. House; 13 Members are Completely New to the NCGA.”

“12 Members Are Serving First Elected Terms in the N.C. Senate; 6 New Members are completely New to the NCGA.”

Does Experience Matter?

Is Diversity Limited to Just Race?

What relevance does this data have to students?
How might we use this data to empower and encourage student leadership?