In the last decade, North Carolina’s public school system has been surgically weakened by our state government. Here are a few of the actions taken.

1. Teacher Pay Kept Well Below National Average
2. Removal of Due-Process Rights
3. Graduate Degree Pay Bumps Removed
4. Retiree Health Benefits Removed For New Teachers
5. Push for Merit Pay and Bonus Pay
6. Removal of Longevity Pay
7. Health Insurance and Benefits
8. Attacks on Teacher Advocacy Groups (NCAE)
9. Revolving Door of Standardized Tests
10. Reorganization and a Weakening of the Department of Public Instruction
11. Less Money Spent per Pupil When Adjusted For Inflation
12. Remove Caps on Class Sizes
13. Amorphous Measures Like “Graduation Rates”
14. School Grading System
15. Cutting Teacher Assistants
16. Read to Achieve
17. Educational Savings Accounts
18. Opportunity Grants
19. Charter Schools
20. Virtual Charter Schools
21. Innovative School Districts
22. Reduction of Teacher Candidates in Colleges
23. Elimination & Reinventing of Teaching Fellows Program
24. Frozen Salaries For Years 15-24
25. Ignorance of LEANDRO Decision
26. Bad Safety Protocols During Pandemic
27. Budget Taking Three Years To Pass
Twenty-seven wins for the Republican legislature and their dedication to plunging a stake into the heart of the sort of public education required in a functioning participatory democracy.
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They also took away benefits or financial help to get one’s National Board Certification. One of the best programs for helping teachers become better teachers.
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