Now that we have passed the Senate bill filing deadline and are quickly approaching the House deadline, over 100 K12 education bills have been filed this session in the NC […]
March 28 Policy Updates
Two policy areas we’re watching closely at the legislature: This week over 70 K12 education bills were filed in the NC General Assembly! This is not unusual since the Senate […]
2025-27 Governor’s Budget Proposal Analysis
The North Carolina budgeting process for the 2025-27 biennium officially kicked off this week with the release of Governor Josh Stein’s proposed budget, which outlines his priorities for education policy […]
SB 227 Eliminating “DEI” in Public Education
It’s been a busy week at the NC General Assembly, with lots of legislation introduced that could have significant impacts on our students, schools, and educators. One bill that’s getting […]
Exploring Weighted Student Funding in North Carolina
In 2023, Senators Lee, Galey, and Barnes sponsored a bill that would convert North Carolina’s funding formula to a weighted student funding (WSF) model. Nationally, 41 states use student-based funding […]
Opportunity Scholarships and the Schools that Receive Them
The NC Senate recently voted to give a total of $632 million for taxpayer-funded private school vouchers to families of all income levels in 2024-25. HB823/SB406 appropriates an additional $248 […]
Public School Forum of North Carolina Shares Progress on Top Education Issues with Over 400 Eggs & Issues Attendees
RALEIGH, NC (May 7, 2024)– The Public School Forum of North Carolina shared the 2024-25 Top Education Issues brief today during the tenth Eggs & Issues breakfast event. The annual […]
2024 Education Policy Primer
The Public School Forum of North Carolina has released the 2024 North Carolina Education Primer, which serves as a fact-based guide to public education in North Carolina. The Primer provides […]
Rebuilding the Educator Pipeline — Policies and Practices to Make it Happen in NC
Teachers are the most important school-related factor that Impacting students’ academic outcomes. To meet the needs and potential of all students, North Carolina (NC) must be able to recruit and […]
Teacher Recruitment and Retention Trends Across North Carolina and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Research has continuously demonstrated that teachers are the most important school-related factor affecting student learning and achievement. However, in North Carolina and across the nation, districts and schools struggle to […]
2023 Conference Budget Analysis
BUDGET STATUS: At time of publishing, the 2023 North Carolina state budget has passed both chambers of the NCGA, and the Governor has stated that he will allow the budget […]
6 Recommendations to Bring Accountability and Transparency to North Carolina’s School Voucher Program
The Opportunity Scholarships program in its current or expanded form represents significant investment of taxpayer dollars to support private and parochial schools. Similar to public schools and public charter schools, […]
Public School Forum Releases Top Education Issues during Ninth Annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast
RALEIGH, NC (January 31, 2023)- The Public School Forum of North Carolina released its Top Education Issues for 2023 today during its ninth annual Eggs & Issues event. This year’s […]
2022 Education Policy Primer
The Public School Forum of North Carolina has released the 2022 North Carolina Education Primer, which serves as a fact-based guide to public education in North Carolina. The Primer provides […]
Pathways to Excellence for Teaching Professionals Focus Group Results
The State Board of Education, the Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC), and the NC Department of Public Instruction have been developing a draft new teacher licensure system, Pathways to […]
The Final Word: Principals and the Support They Provide
By Mary Ann Wolf I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds and hundreds of principals over the years, and I am often reminded about the very unique – […]
The Final Word: Beginning Teachers
Do you know a high school or college student who wants to be a teacher? Do you know others in your community who are thinking about changing careers to become […]
The Final Word: Words of Wisdom From Dr. Dudley Flood
For our 200th episode of Education Matters, we were so fortunate to be joined by Dr. Dudley Flood, who is a legendary education hero who was instrumental in desegregating North […]
The Final Word: North Carolina Has Waited Too Long for Every Child to Have Access to a Sound Basic Education
By Mary Ann Wolf It has been nearly 30 years since the beginning of North Carolina’s school funding case known as Leandro, which was filed by plaintiffs in five poor […]
Public School Forum of NC Releases Progress Report on Top Education Issues 2021-22
RALEIGH, N.C. (February 17, 2022) — The Public School Forum of North Carolina released its Progress Report on the Top Education Issues 2021-22 today during its eighth annual Eggs & […]
National Afterschool Association Honors Sheneika Simmons Among Its 2022 Next Generation of Afterschool Leaders
WASHINGTON, D.C. February 9, 2022 – The National AfterSchool Association (NAA), the voice of the afterschool profession and lead organization for the advancement of afterschool professionals and leaders has selected […]
Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith Named Senior Director of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity and Opportunity at the Public School Forum of NC
RALEIGH, N.C. (February 7, 2022) — Dr. Deanna Townsend-Smith, a long-time educator and advocate for educational equity, has been named Senior Director of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity […]
The Final Word: Supporting Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools
By Mary Ann Wolf and Elizabeth DeKonty As we continue our focus on the whole child and student mental health, it is important for us to consider how a child’s […]
The Final Word: Public Schools Offer More Choices than Ever Before for Families Across North Carolina
By Dr. Mary Ann Wolf Did you know that North Carolina is a leader in global education? Our global commitments represent a unique statewide initiative that was adopted by the […]