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More than a trend, record enrollment in non-traditional schools continues to rise

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The following is a press release from Parents for Educational Freedom North Carolina

Mike Long, President of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC), released the following statement as new statewide figures point to another year of increased enrollment in non-traditional schools in the state. Of the 1.8 million North Carolinians enrolled in K-12 schools, just over 20 percent (around 354,000 students) are now attending public charter, private, or home schools, while attendance in traditional public schools has dipped below 80 percent, highlighting a major shift in educational choice in North Carolina.

“We’ve created a climate in North Carolina that is empowering more and more parents and families with educational choice. No longer is school choice trending in North Carolina. It’s become a mainstream option for families seeking the right educational fit for their child,” said Long.

“We celebrate empowering families with real choice in education, regardless of their zip code or their income. That’s why we’ve worked to reach 10,000+ parents through our outreach efforts at PEFNC already this year.”

For the 2018-2019 school year:

  • 109,492 students enrolled in public charter schools
  • 102,400 attend private schools
  • 142,037 are in homeschools
  • 9,651 are receiving Opportunity Scholarships
  • 1,754 are receiving the Children with Disabilities Grant
  • 277 are receiving the Educational Savings Account

“I’ve spent 35 years either in the classroom or leading schools, and a lot has changed in that time. When I started my career in the Durham public schools, the first cell phone had just been released. Now, the average American has upwards of 60 different apps on their smartphone. Simply, parents and families expect more options at their fingertips and the same can be said on their views of education, especially the next generation of millennial parents. They absolutely are not happy being told their only choice is their ZIP code school,” added Long.

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PEFNC is a statewide organization that supports greater educational options through parental school choice, such as public charter schools and the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Our mission is to inform parents of the benefits of expanded options and empower them to exercise freedom in meeting their children’s needs, regardless of race, national origin, income or religion.