Friday Report – June 13, 2018

The Friday Report

July 13, 2018

CNBC Report Says Underfunded Schools Are Infringing on NC’s Success, Driving Down State’s Ranking 

A report card dragged down by a “D” in education and a “D+” for quality of life drops North Carolina four spots to ninth in CNBC’s 2018 “Top States for Business” survey.

The bad grades couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Tar Heel state, which is in the midst of a recruiting battle for the Amazon HQ2 project and its 50,000 jobs as well as a planned new corporate campus and 10,000 jobs from Apple.

Already burdened by the legacy of the “bathroom bill” HB2 which inflamed personal rights advocates in 2016 and remains a sore spot despite being repealed in 2017, North Carolina took a hit on its reputation within the CNBC survey that rated states across 10 categories.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Smith, R. “Poor education, quality of life grades drive NC down in CNBC business survey.” WRAL: TechWire. 7/11/18.

State Law Gives One County More Flexibility to Run Schools

Photo Credit: WRAL.

North Carolina has a new law to give a school district more flexibility if it has a lot of struggling schools – and the law applies only to Rowan-Salisbury Schools.

Almost half of the schools in the Rowan-Salisbury district – between Greensboro and Charlotte – have what’s called restart status. Low-performing schools can apply to be a restart school to get the same kind of flexibility that charter schools have. It allows them to do things like change their calendar or the way they pay teachers. The hope is that flexibility will help the school improve. Now, a new law will allow that county to treat all schools in its district like a restart school.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Schlemmer, L. “State law gives one county more flexibility to run schools.” WUNC. 7/12/18.

Some Teachers Have Declared Their Right to Resist NC Legislators. How Far Will They Go?

Image Credit: Red4EdNC.

A group of teachers is organizing educators from across North Carolina to take steps, potentially including protests and strikes, if state legislators don’t agree to make a series of education changes.

Red4EdNC is asking educators to sign its “Declaration in Defense of North Carolina’s Public Schoolchildren,” which lists grievances with state legislators such as inadequate school funding. The teachers advocacy group says the declaration will lead to the formation of a “Teachers Congress” that will develop “collective actions” that will be used by teachers if legislators don’t agree to their demands.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hui, K. “Some teachers have declared their right to resist NC legislators. How far will they go?” The News & Observer. 7/9/18.

Thousands of NC Teachers Marched in Raleigh in May. Did They Accomplish Anything?

From left, Melodie Bryant from Shallotte, Carol Cosetti from Clayton and Sandra Thornton from Willow Spring cheer on the speakers during the Rally for Respect at Bicentennial Plaza in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, May 16, 2018.

Photo Credit: Ethan Hyman, The News & Observer.

Thousands of North Carolina teachers took to the streets of Raleigh in May for a historic political march, but they didn’t get much of what they wanted from state legislators this year.

The teachers marched on a platform that included sharp increases in teacher pay and school funding, a statewide school construction bond referendum, expanding Medicaid, freezing tax cuts and reversing several education-related legislative changes.

…

There’s a disconnect between teachers saying the march was more than just about pay raises and how legislators responded, according to Keith Poston, president and executive director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina.

“The message was we need more to support our students, but the legislators said, ‘We gave you a raise,'” Poston said. ‘”But we don’t have enough textbooks for all our children.’ “But we gave you a raise.'”

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hui, K. “Thousands of NC teachers marched in Raleigh in May. Did they accomplish anything?” The News & Observer. 7/6/18.

Johnston County Schools, NCSU Program to Train Future Teachers, Guarantee Jobs

Photo Credit: Element5 Digital, Unsplash.

How young were you when you knew what you wanted to be when you grew up? Well, Johnston County students could soon have the ability to take classes in high school that will guarantee them a job when they graduate college.

It’s similar to early college, which many local school districts are offering, but they can’t guarantee a paying job like Johnston County Schools. Academic innovation officer Brandon Garland says the program will allow the growing district to fill a need and retain some of the top talent in Johnston County.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Kurwicki, H. “Johnston County Schools, NCSU program to train future teachers, guarantee jobs .” WNCN. 7/12/18.

Cooper Slams Lawmakers for Bypassing Statewide School Bond

Photo Credit: Kyo Azuma, Unsplash.

Gov. Roy Cooper criticized lawmakers Tuesday for not putting a $2 billion statewide school construction bond on the ballot this fall.

Cooper toured Stough Elementary School in Raleigh and other schools in the Triangle to highlight the need for more funding for school repairs and renovation to keep up with the state’s growth.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Leslie, L. “Cooper slams lawmakers for bypassing statewide school bond.” WRAL. 7/10/18.

National News

I’m a Trauma Survivor; I Know What It Takes to Teach Students Like Me

Photo Credit: Candace Hines, Teach Plus.

When I was in elementary school, I was often bullied because of my brown skin. I dreaded going to lunch and would return to class with unfocused red eyes. I longed for a teacher who looked like me and understood what I was going through but there was no positive Black role model in my school. My teachers were there for me academically; however, emotionally and socially, they did not know how to support me or encourage me. When I returned to class, I was often comforted with the phrase, “Remember, sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can never hurt you.”

The Greek origin of the word trauma literally means wound and being a Black teacher allows me to see my students as they are. I connect with them and interpret the cultural differences. When a Black child enters my classroom, I make a conscious effort to remember that along with the academic knowledge, they might also be bringing their wounds. My job is to educate them while providing a safe environment that is sensitive to their experiences.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Hines, C. “I’m a Trauma Survivor; I Know What it Takes to Teach Students Like Me.” Teach Plus. 7/10/18.

Counseling, Mental Health Access Dominate Federal School Safety Meeting

Crime scene tape runs outside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 18. Authorities opened the streets around the school, which had been closed since a mass shooting on Feb. 14.

Photo Credit: Gerald Herbert, AP.

Students—especially those from vulnerable populations and children in remote areas—aren’t getting nearly enough access to mental health services.

That’s according to a slew of experts who testified before the federal school safety commission Wednesday. The panel has been charged with making recommendations for combatting mass school shootings in the wake of the February 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. In general, the commission is not considering the role of guns in school shootings, except on a limited number of topics, to the consternation of many advocates.

To continue reading the complete article, click here.

Excerpt from:

Klein, A. “Counseling, Mental Health Access Dominate Federal School Safety Meeting.” Education Week. 7/11/18.

Opportunities

Registration Open for 2018 Candidate Education Policy Briefings

Applications Open for 2018-19 NC Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP)

The Public School Forum is accepting applications for the 2018-19 cohort of the North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP).

The North Carolina Education Policy Fellowship Program is the only statewide program of its kind that focuses on leadership and professional development in the context of education policy. Fellows come from public schools, higher education, community colleges, and a diverse array of education organizations across North Carolina. Each class includes a cohort of fellows who focus on education policy issues and the wide range of factors that influence education in North Carolina. Fellows will increase their awareness of how public policy is made, learn whom the key players are in the formation of this policy, and become more confident and involved in the policy-making process.

EPFP Application information can be found online at https://www.ncforum.org/education-policy-fellowship-program/. Applications are due by July 15, 2018. Contact Lauren Bock, Public School Forum Director of Policy & Programs, at [email protected] with questions.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards for Science and Mathematics Teachers

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Science and Math Teachers (CASMT) application is now available online. The Career Award for Science and Mathematics Teachers is a five-year award available to outstanding science and/or mathematics teachers in the North Carolina public primary and secondary schools. The purpose of this award is to recognize teachers who have demonstrated solid knowledge of science and/or mathematics content and have outstanding performance records in educating children. The deadline for submission is September 24th, 2018.

For more information or to access the application, visit https://www.bwfund.org/grant-programs/science-education/career-awards-science-and-mathematics-teachers.

Women in Educational Leadership Symposium

Registration is open for the third annual Women in Educational Leadership Symposium (WIELS). The purpose of WIELS is to bring women together to share, learn, and grow in leadership. This conference aims to provide personalized learning and mentoring opportunities for those who aspire to become or currently serve as educational leaders.

The symposium will be held October 5 through October 6, 2018 at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. This year’s conference theme is Advancing the Leader Within: Building Capacity.

Registration for the conference is online at https://wiels.appstate.edu/about-us/registration. Additional information can be found at https://wiels.appstate.edu/.

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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