With new tax cuts taking effect in January, North Carolina is poised to become the 17th most regressive tax system in the nation. Budget Gridlock and Tax Cuts for the […]
November 21 Policy Updates
This was a chilling week for North Carolinians. ICE and Border Patrol operations rattled communities, leaving students and families unsure if school would be safe. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration unveiled […]
November 14 Policy Updates
When policy works, the results can be transformative. North Carolina’s success expanding Advanced Placement access and achievement offers a model of effective, well-funded policy. Meanwhile, policy failure can have significant […]
November 7 Policy Updates
The current federal shutdown has become the longest in U.S. history, critically impacting the nation’s most effective tool for fighting hunger: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While partial benefits […]
October 31 Policy Updates
Next week, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are set to expire for 1.4 million North Carolinians, including more than 480,000 children. Meanwhile, […]
October 24 Policy Updates
Democracy, Representation, and Public Education This week, the NCGA reconvened for its scheduled October session. Instead of finalizing a long-overdue state budget, lawmakers approved a new congressional map for the […]
October 17 Policy Updates
As North Carolina celebrates rising graduation rates, the state is also seeing an alarming increase in dropout rates among students with disabilities, landing a federal “needs assistance” rating for the […]
October 10 Policy Updates
Since the General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto of HB 805 this summer passing it into law, teachers across North Carolina have faced a difficult choice: maintain classroom libraries that […]
October 3 Policy Updates
Budget battles at both the federal and state levels are prolonging uncertainty for North Carolina school districts. The federal shutdown and the lack of a state budget limit districts’ ability […]
September 26 Policy Updates
This week highlighted deep budget uncertainty at both the state and federal levels: the General Assembly approved limited disaster relief for storms Helene and Chantal but failed to advance a […]
September 19 Policy Updates
The General Assembly is scheduled to return to Raleigh next week with little expectation of passing a state budget. Instead, lawmakers are likely to focus on additional veto overrides while […]
September 12 Policy Updates
While lawmakers expand costly private-school vouchers that lack oversight and accountability and exclude many students and families, North Carolina continues to rank near the bottom in public school funding, leaving […]
September 5 Policy Updates
This week in Washington, D.C., the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released its Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations bill, which, if passed, would […]
August 29 Policy Updates
The General Assembly has yet to pass a state budget, leaving school districts to navigate funding gaps and uncertainty as the new year begins. Families feel these pressures directly, even […]
August 15 Policy Updates
Last week, the State Board of Education approved the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) five-year strategic plan, titled “Achieving Educational Excellence.” Meanwhile, Governor Stein signed the state’s mini-budget into law, […]
August 1 Policy Updates
The NCGA was back in session this week and followed an unusually busy agenda–from overriding eight vetoes to opting North Carolina into a vague and still-unfolding federal education voucher program. […]
July 18 Policy Updates
The NCGA is still on vacation, and we await further action on the budget when they return. It’s been another active week on the federal level, however, with big updates […]
July 4 Policy Updates
The NCGA is on vacation, and state budget talks are still stalled. This week has been busy at the federal level, however, with an updated reconciliation bill passing Congress, and […]
June 20 Policy Updates
Budget talks between North Carolina House and Senate GOP leaders have stalled, but other legislation concerning students in our schools has moved forward. This week, we take a look at […]
June 6 Policy Updates
As we await further news on the North Carolina budget, this week we turn our attention to the details of President Trump’s FY2026 budget request. This proposal would dramatically reduce […]
May 23 Policy Updates
This week, all eyes are on the House as North Carolina representatives present and debate their budget proposal for the 2025-27 biennium. Our analysis takes a deeper dive into all […]
May 16 Policy Updates
The NC legislative session is really heating up this week, and we now have more clarity on which of the over 130 K12 education bills filed this session have retained […]
May 9 Policy Updates
It’s crossover week at the General Assembly, so it’s been busy in Raleigh. We continue to sort through details of which bills have moved prior to the May 8 deadline, […]
May 2 Policy Updates
As we move toward the May 8 crossover deadline, the deadline for bills to pass a full vote from one chamber and move to the other, over 130 K12 education […]