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 school districts continue to face deep uncertainty over funding. More Veto Overrides, Still No Budget The legislature has spent most of the summer out of […]
2025 Impact Report
The Public School Forum of NC remains an indispensable champion of better public schools and the most trusted source in the state for research and analysis on vital education issues. We engage communities, legislators, business leaders, and educators to inform, build consensus, and drive action to shape education policy that centers on the needs and […]
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 critical questions about the state’s budget priorities as a new school year begins. New Report on Private School VouchersThe Public School Forum of North Carolina […]
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 have significant consequences for North Carolina. More Federal Cuts Proposed This week, a House subcommittee endorsed many –though not all– of President Trump’s proposed Department […]
Why Medicaid and SNAP Cuts Put School Leaders in an Impossible Position
Growing up, there was a period when my family relied on food stamps to survive. At the time I admittedly felt some embarrassment about that fact, yet I found a way to use the foundation provided by that public assistance to achieve several important goals in life. Recently, I learned that my story is similar […]
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 as school choice advocates promote private options. Efforts to Override Governor Stein’s Vetoes, and No Budget Vote on the Agenda The General Assembly briefly returned […]
Public School Forum of North Carolina Releases Report on Private School Accessibility Following the Expansion of Taxpayer-Funded Vouchers
RALEIGH, NC (August 20, 2025) – The Public School Forum of North Carolina has released a report exploring access, affordability and accountability in relation to the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), North Carolina’s taxpayer-funded private school voucher program which was expanded in late 2023 to offer vouchers to all students, regardless of their family’s income or […]
Public Dollars, Private Schools: Evaluating Access, Affordability, and Accountability in North Carolina’s Universal Voucher Program
As the education privatization movement has spread across the country, school voucher programs have become more common and more expansive in many states. These programs use taxpayer dollars to provide scholarships to families to send their children to nonpublic schools. Like many voucher programs, North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program, which was created by the General […]
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, funding core government operations and essential services. He also vetoed the Educational Choice for Children Act, though he committed to opting North Carolina into the […]
Leveraging the Community Schools Framework to Advance NC DPI & SBE Strategic Plan: Achieving Educational Excellence
Community Schools —an evidence-based school improvement strategy— began scaling statewide in 2023 with a grant from the Department of Education and coordination by the NC Community Schools Coalition (NCCSC). By fall of 2026, NCCSC aims to be supporting approximately 23,000 students in 46 schools across 28 districts. Community schools qualify as an evidence-based approach to […]
Donor Spotlight: Amos Fodchuk on the Power of Partnership in Supporting Local Public Schools
The Public School Forum of North Carolina is proud to launch our Donor Spotlight series, highlighting the leaders and partners whose generosity fuels our mission. In this first installment, we speak with Amos Fodchuk—founder and president of Advanced Learning Partnerships and the Forum’s board chair-elect. From his global career in education to his deep commitment […]
Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau to Host Congressman Chuck Edwards for Site Visit Focused on Afterschool and Summer Learning
The Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau, the largest afterschool and summer learning program in Jackson County, North Carolina, is honored to host Congressman Chuck Edwards for a site visit focused on 21st Century Community Learning Centers on Thursday, August 1, 2025. This site visit is being hosted in partnership with the North Carolina […]
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. Meanwhile, educators across the state are breathing a sigh of relief as the U.S. Department of Education releases withheld federal funds. North Carolina General Assembly […]
Funding Restored for Afterschool & Summer Programs for 2025-2026 School Year, But Threats to the Field Remain
The North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP), afterschool providers, and families across North Carolina are relieved that the funding for 2025-2026 21st Century Community Learning Center afterschool and summer programs is set for release on Monday, July 21. These funds were part of the $6.8 billion in education dollars delayed by the Office […]
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 from the Supreme Court and states filing suit against the withholding of federal funds. Supreme Court Decision and the US Department of Education On Monday, […]
Public School Forum of North Carolina Approves New Board Members and Advisory Board Members
RALEIGH, NC (July 18, 2025) – At its June 2025 meeting, the Board of Directors of the Public School Forum of North Carolina approved several new Directors and At-Large Advisors for two-year terms that officially begin July 1, 2025. “I’m immensely excited to begin my tenure by welcoming the newest members of the Public School […]
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 unprecedented withholding of education funds by President Trump. Federal Reconciliation Process Much is at stake for North Carolina students and schools as the federal reconciliation […]
Ann W. McColl to Serve as Interim President and Executive Director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina
With great enthusiasm the Public School Forum Board of Directors announces the appointment of Ann W. McColl as Interim President and Executive Director of the Forum effective July 1. Ann brings a distinguished history of leadership, innovation and advocacy within public education in North Carolina. She is currently serving as President and Founder of Let […]
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 two bills that could threaten the sense of safety that all children deserve in their learning environments and communities. What is Being Proposed? This week, […]
To Stay a Top State for Business, NC Must Become a Top State for Public Education
In 2022 and 2023, North Carolina was CNBC’s top state for business. In 2024, we were #2. Virginia took the top spot with one of the cited reasons being the state’s strong public education system. While that drop in ranking is far from drastic, it does demonstrate that if North Carolina does not prioritize our […]
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 funding to public schools and force states to make difficult decisions to cut programs our students depend on. On May 30, President Trump released his […]
A Toolkit for Tomorrow’s Teachers and Today’s Realities
Last month heralded the commencement season for colleges and universities across North Carolina. Within the class of 2025 are graduates who will be the state’s next generation of classroom teachers. These individuals have been trained to design organized and well-planned classrooms while delivering content instruction. These newly minted teachers will likely spend their summer working […]
NC Center for Resilience & Learning Releases Toolkit for Educator Preparation Programs
RALEIGH, NC (May 29, 2025) – The North Carolina Center for Resilience & Learning is proud to announce the release of the Education Preparation Programs Trauma-Informed Practices Toolkit, designed specifically for educator preparation programs across North Carolina. The toolkits include tailored resources for teacher, school counselor and school administrator preparation programs designed to help institutions […]
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 educator pay proposals so far– from Governor Josh Stein, the NC House, and the NC Senate. Since the beginning of the 2025 long session at […]