Originally Published in the Public School Forum’s Friday Report on 8/11/17 — A new principal pay plan enacted this year by the General Assembly drew pointed comments and concerns at last week’s State Board of Education’s (SBE) meeting. The 2017 changes dramatically overhaul how the state’s principals and assistant principals are compensated. With North Carolina currently […]
Keith Poston, director of the Public School Forum, discusses teacher pay, recruitment, and overall education funding as the new school year is set to begin
Keith Poston was interviewed on Policy Watch radio to discuss current topics in public education. Listen to full interview here >
Keith Poston: Invest in our teachers
Keith Poston wrote for Fayetteville Observer about the importance of investing in our teachers.
NC needs to stop the lollygagging and invest in teachers
There’s a scene in “Bull Durham” that features the Bulls manager throwing bats into the locker room shower and berating the team for the mortal sin of “lollygagging.” He wonders aloud, after being reminded of his team’s 8-16 record, “How did we ever win eight?” This scene popped into my mind when I read the […]
The myth of limited resources to support NC education
One of the ongoing tensions underlying much of the current debate over public education in North Carolina is the amount of money available to support our schools. Last year, with an economic recovery resulting in a $400 million surplus – the first such surplus in years – educators and public school champions regularly heard from […]
Keith Poston on The Progressive Pulse
A budget that does not prioritize education
As the NC House prepares to take its first vote today on the proposed state budget approved yesterday by the NC Senate, Keith Poston, President and Executive Director, Public School Forum of North Carolina, released the following statement: “The state budget released by the House and Senate budget conference does not make education a priority […]
After Supreme Court ruling, NC must base voucher decisions on evidence
The N.C. Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the state’s “Opportunity Scholarships” program cements North Carolina’s status as one of 14 states with voucher programs that use taxpayer dollars to pay private school tuition. The court’s decision comes at a time when the General Assembly is debating expanding the voucher program. Last year the legislature provided almost […]
New analysis shows strong correlation between economic conditions and educational outcomes in North Carolina
RALEIGH, NC & DURHAM, NC (July 15, 2015) – A new white paper released today by MetaMetrics® finds a strong correlation between poverty and low academic performance in North Carolina. The analysis was done using the Public School Forum’s NC Center for Afterschool Program’s annual Roadmap of Need report and highlights the unique challenges facing […]
A is for Affluent: A-F School Grading System Needs Changes
An issue brief released today by the Public School Forum of North Carolina says the current A-F School Performance Grading system only serves to label schools based on the family income of the students served and does not provide support to help struggling schools improve. In its brief, “A is for Affluent,” the Public School […]
North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program Leaves Legacy of Effective Teachers Across the State
RALEIGH, NC (February 24, 2015) – The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, a teacher preparation and scholarship program that recruited top North Carolina high school students into teaching, is set to graduate its final class this spring. The Teaching Fellows Program was eliminated by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2011. The Public School Forum […]
NC House Budget Offers Most Promising Path Forward to Boost Teacher Pay
RALEIGH, NC (June 12, 2014) – The Public School Forum of North Carolina today said of the three budget proposals currently before the NC General Assembly, the plan contained in the 2014-2015 NC House budget offers the most promising path forward to improve teacher pay. The full policy brief can be accessed here. The Public […]
North Carolina Should Stay the Course on Common Core: Best option for students and State budget
The Public School Forum of North Carolina today released a new policy brief urging the State of North Carolina to continue to move forward implementing the Common Core State Standards. The full brief can be accessed here. “The Common Core standards give students the best opportunity to graduate college and career ready and able to compete […]