North Carolina has over 7400 fewer teacher assistants than it did ten years ago. Let me repeat: North Carolina has over 7400 fewer teacher assistants than it did ten years ago. Senate Bill 329 would tremendously help fix that. When study after study published by leading education scholars preach that reaching students early in their academic … Continue reading NCGA Should Pass SB329 Because Over 7,400 NC Teacher Assistants Lost Since 2008 is Not Reform.

Every year on March 21, the Down Syndrome International sponsors for the world community a WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY. You can read more about it here: https://worlddownsyndromeday.org/. The date is a direct reference to genetic condition known as Trisomy 21 (three #21 chromosomes) which is commonly known as Down Syndrome. But Malcolm does not think much … Continue reading Malcolm’s Wish For World Down Syndrome Day (3/21)

North Carolina has over 45 colleges and universities that offer teacher educator programs. In fact, you can find that information on DPI’s website: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/epp/approved/. Fifteen of them are public institutions. Here’s a map. Many of these colleges and universities offer multiple degrees in areas in education. And here is the contact information for each of … Continue reading Pass HB 408 – The Teaching Fellows Program Should be In ALL NC Public Institutions

If one thing is for certain, North Carolina’s school performance grades are a confirmation that student poverty levels have so much to do with how schools perform. Those performance grades also help to fuel “reform” efforts. EdNC.org released a new version of its Data Dashboard last year that allows users to filter for different variables … Continue reading 50% Growth & 50% Achievement? Keep the 15 Point Scale? What The Current Bills Concerning School Performance Grades Really Say

...and have the score tied to their legislative profile. North Carolina is one of fewer than 20 states that requires all students (EC, LEP, etc.) to take the ACT, which has no impact on their transcripts, provides no feedback in its scores on how to improve student achievement and is administered on a school day … Continue reading Every North Carolina General Assembly Member Should Be Required to Take the ACT…

At the beginning of each school year, I am required to fully disclose my syllabus to all perspective students and parents. On the first day of class, I give each student a set of rubrics that I use to gauge written work throughout the year. Any student can ask how any assessment was graded and … Continue reading When .gov Allows .edu To Be Governed By .com – North Carolina’s Allegiance to SAS and EVAAS

According to Dr. Terry Stoops and the John Locke Foundation, we rank 20th in the country in teacher pay when "adjusted for cost of living." The John Locke Foundation is a libertarian-leaning think tank whose findings and studies on North Carolina’s public schools is so bent toward a political ideology that celebrates “school choice” and … Continue reading North Carolina Teacher Pay is Still Behind the National Average And Horribly Not Competitive – Why The Cost Of Living Adjustment Argument is Erroneous

No doubt that I am biased for the team that represents my school. I have taught some of those players. My daughter sits in class with some of them. But they are all my "students." Walking into Reynolds Coliseum yesterday on the campus of NC State University will be an experience not easily forgotten - … Continue reading Every NCGA Member Should Go to a NCHSAA Championship Game (And Pay)

It is not uncommon to drive through a town or municipality and observe under a “city limit” sign a nod to a local public high school’s (or schools’) accomplishment in winning a state championship. It is a sign of pride. It is a way of honoring schools and the students. It also shows that the … Continue reading “Village of Champions” – Clemmons, NC Needs One More Sign

I am convinced that some of the most unsung heroes in our schools are our coaches. They not only teach students inside of classrooms; they teach them outside of classrooms. Those same coaches take the blame when teams do not win or compete as they are expected to. They deflect credit when teams win. But … Continue reading 111 Miles To Raleigh. 1 Team, 1 Goal, and 1 More Game.