On the heels of several high level departures in recent months from the NC Department of Public Instruction, NC State Superintendent Mark Johnson is now losing two key members of his inner circle–his general counsel and legislative director. Kevin Wilkinson, who came to DPI with Johnson shortly after his 2016 election, will leave his position […]
A compromise budget that fails to ensure a sound basic education for every child
Statement by Keith Poston on the 2019-21 compromise state budget plan
Education Matters – Early College High Schools on the Chopping Block
Topic: Early College High Schools on the Chopping Block Some of North Carolina’s top rated high schools are what are commonly referred to as early college high schools. These schools allow students to earn college credits while working towards graduation and are typically paired with a local community college or university. The North Carolina Senate […]
NC Resilience and Learning Project Concludes Its Second Year: Lessons Learned
As the second year of the NC Resilience and Learning Project comes to a close, we are so fortunate to report the many successes we’ve nurtured as well as the improvements we’ve made, for both the project as well as the schools we were able to serve. To date, the NC Resilience and Learning Project […]
Education Matters – North Carolina Rock Star Teachers
Topic: North Carolina Rock Star Teachers The State of North Carolina is fortunate to be home to thousands of exceptional public school teachers. In fact North Carolina leads the nation in the percentage of Nationally Board Certified teachers, the gold standard for professional excellence in teaching. This week on the show you’re going to meet […]
Friday Report – June 14th, 2019
This week in #nced: As NC House and Senate Disagree Over Licensing Issue, Teacher Jobs Are in Limbo; With Growing Calls for More Mental Health Services, States Tackle School Counselor Caseloads
Friday Report – June 7th, 2019
This week in #nced: Virtual Pre-K Still on The Table at General Assembly as Early Childhood Experts Raise Red Flags, Caution Against More Screen Time; NC Surpasses 200 Charter Schools as State Board Approves 10 More
Virtual pre-K still on the table at General Assembly as early childhood experts raise red flags, caution against more screen time
By Lindsay Wagner Among the many education proposals that have surfaced during the 2019 legislative session, few have provoked as much heated debate as this idea: to enact a 3-year pilot program that would provide low-income and military families in ten districts across North Carolina with a virtual preschool platform known as UPSTART. Rep. D. […]
Friday Report – May 31st, 2019
The Friday Report May 31, 2019 Public School Forum Honors Jim and Barbara Goodmon with Annual Education Award Nearly 500 educators, business leaders, community stakeholders, government officials and supporters of public schools gathered at the Raleigh Convention Center last night to honor Jim and Barbara Goodmon for their vast contributions to public education. Jim Goodmon, […]
Education Matters – The E-Cigarette Epidemic and Students
Topic: The e-cigarette epidemic and students E-cigarettes, Vaping. Juuling. Whatever you know it by, their use is skyrocketing among students. Last week North Carolina became the first state in the country to file a lawsuit against popular e-cigarette maker Juul Labs alleging the company is downplaying the potency and danger of nicotine and illegally targeting […]
Friday Report – May 24th, 2019
This week in #nced: ‘The Future of Education’: Rowan-Salisbury Schools Unveils Renewal Plan; Only Low-Performing Schools Can Get Charter-Like Flexibility. Wake Says That ‘Stinks’
North Carolina’s Average Teacher Pay Myth: An Analysis by the Public School Forum of North Carolina
More than 80 percent of North Carolina’s school districts report average teacher salaries that are below the state average RALEIGH, NC (May 23, 2019) – A new report by the Public School Forum of NC finds that average teacher salaries in more than 80 percent of North Carolina’s school districts fall below the reported statewide […]
Friday Report – May 17th, 2019
This week in #nced:’Nothing’s Really Changed’: NC Teaching Fellows Still Enrolling Mostly White Female Students; School Board Axes Grant Funds For Equity Training
Mindset shift leads to big results at Greene County Intermediate School
A school-wide mindset shift was one of several key changes that Greene County Intermediate School’s (GCIS) assistant principal, Taylor Moore, said has made a big difference in his school’s journey toward becoming trauma-sensitive. “It has really been all about the mindset shift and the willingness for staff to take the time to peel back the […]
Ta-Nehisi Coates to headline “Color of Education 2019” Summit in North Carolina
Raleigh-Durham, NC (May 13, 2019) – The Public School Forum of North Carolina, Duke Policy Bridge at the Sanford School of Public Policy and the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University, announced today that award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates will headline “Color of Education 2019,” their second annual summit focused on race, […]
Education Matters – Teacher Rally Recap and Exploring the House Budget
Topic: Teacher Rally Recap and Exploring the House Budget The school year may be nearing an end, but education policymaking is heating up in Raleigh. For the second year in a row, thousands of teachers marched and rallied outside the General Assembly. At the very same time House lawmakers were passing their proposed state budget […]
Friday Report – May 10, 2019
This week in #nced: Without Evidence to Suggest They are Effective, NC Senate Moves to Expand Private School Vouchers and Virtual Charter School Programs; Senate Lowers Performance Standards for Charter Schools, Eliminates Enrollment Cap
Without Evidence That They Are Effective, NC Senate Moves to Expand Vouchers and Virtual Charter Schools
By Lindsay Wagner Relying on sound data when it comes to making decisions around spending North Carolina’s taxpayer dollars should be a no-brainer. However, in spite of the fact that we don’t know if our publicly funded school voucher program produces positive academic outcomes for kids, Senate lawmakers passed legislation this week that would expand […]
Friday Report – May 3rd, 2019
This week in #nced: Teachers March on Raleigh to Ask for More Support for Their Students; House Budget Delays Raises Till January Because of ‘Availability’ of Funds
House budget would shred the small amount of accountability that exists for the school voucher program
By Lindsay Wagner Since its inception, North Carolina’s school voucher program has suffered from a stunning lack of transparency and accountability that should safeguard the public’s investment in private schools. The voucher program already makes public dollars accessible to private schools that are free to discriminate by turning away students who are gay or transgender, […]
Education Matters’ 100th Episode – How Do We Keep Our Children Safe?
Topic: How Do We Keep Our Children Safe? The rate of teen suicide in North Carolina has doubled in the last 10 years. Self-harm among 10- to 14-year-old girls in the U.S. has nearly tripled since 2009. Nearly one in seven U.S. children and adolescents has a mental health condition and half go untreated. This week we explore […]
Friday Report – April 26th, 2019
This week in #nced: Thousands of Teachers will March in Raleigh on May 1. Here are the Event Details; 26 School Districts Cancel Class Ahead of Teacher Rally in Downtown Raleigh
2019 Roadmap of Need
GREENSBORO, NC (April 24, 2019) – A new report released today by the Public School Forum of North Carolina and its NC Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) highlights large areas of North Carolina where young people are at risk of not succeeding. The report, Roadmap of Need 2019, was released today at the Center […]
New Report Highlights Where Young People Face the Greatest Obstacles to Success in North Carolina
GREENSBORO, NC (April 24, 2019) – A new report released today by the Public School Forum of North Carolina and its NC Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) highlights large areas of North Carolina where young people are at risk of not succeeding. The report, Roadmap of Need 2019, was released today at the Center […]




















