Friday Report – December 22, 2017

The Friday Report

December 22, 2017

2018 Local School Finance Study to Be Released in January

Keep your eyes open for the upcoming release of the Forum’s latest Local School Finance Study scheduled for publication in early January. The 2018 study comes at an opportune time as North Carolina’s legislative leaders are considering an overhaul of the state’s school finance system.

The Public School Forum has analyzed Federal, state and local school funding for more than 25 years. Over the past few years, the study has highlighted the stark and growing gap in public school funding between the highest and lowest-wealth counties in the state. The annual study has been used over time by district finance officers, county commissioners, school board members, and other state and local education officials to frame debates about school funding and state and local priorities. Look for it in January.

Education Matters

WRAL-TV, FOX 50 and UNC-TV’s NC Channel will air encore episodes of Education Matters the next two weekends, Dec 23-24 and Dec 30-31. New episodes return January 6-7.

Catch up on any episodes you missed. See below for when and where to watch. 

When and Where to Watch Education Matters

Saturday at 7:30 PM,

WRAL-TV (Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville)

Sunday at 8:00 AM,

FOX 50

(Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville)

Sunday at 6:30 AM and Wednesday at 9:30 AM, UNC-TV’s North Carolina Channel (Statewide)

The North Carolina Channel can be found on Time Warner Cable/Spectrum Channel 1277 or check your local listing and other providers here.

Education Matters is also available as a podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, PodBean, Overcast and Google Play Music.

Online at https://www.ncforum.org/

State News

It’s Not Tenure, But NC Teachers Will Get More Job Security

Nancy Bergquist works a math problem with two of her fourth-grade students at Washington Elementary School on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017. She’s one of the many teachers who lost the chance to get tenure when the General Assembly took the option away. Photo Credit: Chuck Liddy, The News & Observer.

Thousands of North Carolina teachers will soon get something they haven’t enjoyed for the last five years – the job security of a multi-year job contract that ends the year-to-year anxiety of whether they will be rehired.

The state legislature’s five-year moratorium on multi-year teaching contracts, part of its efforts to eliminate teacher tenure, ends July 1. Now school districts across the state are developing new policies for next school year and beyond that will allow them to offer teachers employment contracts of up to four years.

The decisions districts make could affect their ability to recruit and retain teachers. Many educators say they prefer longer-term contracts that allow them to feel more settled in their jobs.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hui, K. “It’s not tenure, but NC teachers will get more job security.” The News & Observer. 12/20/17.

Feds Respond to North Carolina ESSA Plan

Image Credit: Education Week.

North Carolina submitted its plan for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to the federal government in September. This past week, the feds responded.

The United States Department of Education sent a response letter to the state requesting additional information as part of its approval process. The federal government’s response includes details on a number of areas in the state’s plan that need to be addressed before they can move forward.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Granados, A. “Feds respond to North Carolina ESSA plan.” EducationNC. 12/16/17.

School Board Passes Record $8.1 Million Pay Increase for Teachers, Staff

Photo Credit: Element5 Digital, Unsplash.

The Cumberland County School Board unanimously passed a record $8.1 million pay increase for teachers and staff at its meeting Monday night. The board also discussed the findings of a community survey on the hopes for the new superintendent. It also elected its new chair and vice chair.

About 2,700 of the school system’s 6,042 employees will get raises averaging about 10 percent under the plan. Nearly $5 million of the raise will come from local funds. The rest will come from state and federal funding. Teachers who have at least 25 years of experience will receive a $1,000 increase in their supplemental pay. The raise is the single largest salary change in the school system’s history.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Vendituoli, M. “School board passes record $8.1 million pay increase for teachers, staff.” The Fayetteville Observer. 12/12/17.

What Happens When Two CMS Schools Come Face to Face to Confront Race and Class Rifts?

West Charlotte student body president Morgan Harris, Ardrey Kell student body president Jackson Dumas, West Charlotte student Da’Jeanna Scales and Ardrey Kell student Jayda Burghardt (left to right) summarize how their schools are similar and different. Photo Credit: Timisha Barnes-Jones, West Charlotte High.

Start with racial insults shouted when drunk students got out of hand at a football game between two of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s majority white suburban high schools.Throw in an accusation of white privilege leveled by a faculty member at mostly black West Charlotte High.

The surprising result: the West Kell project, which has students and faculty at West Charlotte and south suburban Ardrey Kell buzzing with excitement.

On Dec. 11, as they prepared for a meeting at West Charlotte, student leaders at both schools worried that their counterparts might judge them by stereotypes – snobs and racists, thugs and failures.After spending two hours together on Dec. 12, both groups had found common ground – including frustration with the way they believe they’re labeled by the public – and were eager to build a lasting partnership.

UNC’s Plan Seeks to Close the Gap Between the ‘Two North Carolinas’

A steady stream of visitors and students visit the Old Well on the University of North Carolina campus on Friday, October 13, 2017. Photo Credit: Robert Willett, The News & Observer.

‘Santa Cam’ Newton Delights Kids and Seniors with Gifts – and His Presence

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, right, sits with students in art class at Sedgefield Middle School on Tuesday during his Santa Cam’s Surprise Sleigh annual event. Photo Credit: Jeff Siner, The Charlotte Observer.

The reaction Cam Newton gets walking into a middle school in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon is a little like what you’d expect from thousands of teenage fans at a rock concert.

The Carolina Panthers quarterback likes the element of surprise every year for his Santa Cam’s Surprise Sleigh. This year’s afternoon-long trip had Newton, clad in a Santa hat and red flannel, making four stops around Charlotte, giving thousands of dollars in gift cards to families in need, dancing, eating and taking lots of selfies.

“Charlotte is an unbelievable community,” Newton said before kicking off the day at Sedgefield Middle School. “This is my way of showing my appreciation.”

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:
Peralta,  K. “‘Santa Cam’ Newton delights kids and seniors with gifts – and his presence.” The Charlotte Observer. 12/19/17.

National News

How Much Do Teachers Spend On Classroom Supplies?

Image Credit: Lindsey Balbierz, NPR.

It’s inevitable. Each year, teachers dip into their own pockets to buy things like notebooks, tissues and pencils for their students.

This inevitability is even enshrined in the tax code, which gives educators a $250 deduction for their trouble. Late last week, in hammering out their big tax overhaul, Republicans decided to preserve that deduction. So we thought we would ask teachers how much of their own money they spend each year.

The answer: more than $250.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Figueroa, A. “How Much Do Teachers Spend On Classroom Supplies?” NPR Ed. 12/19/17.

Opportunities

NCSSM Seeking an Admissions Counselor

The North Carolina School of Science and Math (NCSSM) is seeking an Admissions Counselor who will be responsible for the recruitment, identification and selection of secondary students who are highly talented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

For more details about this position such as responsibilities, qualifications, and requirements please visit the NCSSM Employment Opportunities web page here. The deadline for applications is January 8, 2018, 5 pm. To apply, submit an electronic application via: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/northcarolina. Please create an account, search for Admissions Counselor vacancy, and complete/submit an online application.

Grow Your Career Skills with the Kenan Fellows Program

The 2018-19 Fellowship application is now open. The Fellowship begins with a summer internship in a higher education lab or industry setting and is supported by 80 hours of professional development that focuses on building leadership capacity and proven instructional strategies.The 2018-19 application period ends Jan. 22, 2018.

Each Fellow is awarded at least a $5,000 stipend, and must develop and implement relevant educational materials and/or programs based on their internship experience. To apply click here.

The Friday Report is published weekly by the Public School Forum of NC and is distributed to Forum members, policymakers, donors, media, and Forum subscribers. Archived editions can be found at www.ncforum.org.

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