Remember that teachers no longer receive longevity pay like other state employees. Remember that bonuses are not salary increases. They are usually one-time payments. Also remember that bonuses get taxed and that none of it can go toward retirement. Senate Bill 818, which was revised as late as June, includes a one-time bonus of $350 … Continue reading About That $350 Bonus For Teachers – No NCGA Member Should Praise It

This might be one of the most important date tables you will see in a while. John deVille, veteran Macon County teacher and public school advocate, has this gift of presenting data in very digestible ways, even for those who don't want to confront reality. The title says it all. It reminds me of that … Continue reading One Data Table You Must See & The Absolute Need To Pass The HEROES Act

All of these were tweets or sent out in tweets this past summer. And all of them - Show that public education is as political an issue as it gets, andShow that public education is vital to the health of a community and country, and Show that no matter if you attended public schools or … Continue reading 13 Tweets That Summarize The School Reopening Debate

Below is the latest map from Dane West, who has been keeping direct tabs on each LEA in the state and their plans for reopening school buildings. It's as complete a map as any and he has actually been following as many school board meetings across the state as humanly possible. Dane is a Social … Continue reading Look At This Map Of School Reopening Plans & Compare Them To NCGA District Lines. You Might Be Surprised.

By now you have probably seen a photograph of a crowded school hallway during a class change in Paulding County, GA. Not many masks. Not much social distancing. Paulding County is in the northwest part of the Atlanta Metro Area. Not far from Fulton County where Atlanta is. The student who posted that picture has … Continue reading Using Teachers (& Students) As Political Pawns

If you didn't catch it, VP Mike Pence and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos came to NC to praise a private school's reopening to in-person instruction. That visit was at one of the eight campuses of the Thales Schools. All of them reopened in the same way. But now one of the campuses has reportedly … Continue reading About That Visit To NC By Pence & DeVos To Praise Reopening Schools

This is a disturbing headline to an even more disturbing action. It's from the New York Times. It reads. " With the Trump administration’s decision to end the 2020 census count four weeks early, the Census Bureau now has to accomplish what officials have said it cannot do: accurately count the nation’s hardest-to-reach residents — … Continue reading Another Action That Could Devastate Public Schools

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos tweeted the following today. This is coming from a woman whose boss has a son in a private school that chose to start the year remotely. This is a woman who should know that many charter and orivate schools chose to shut their buildings down to begin the year. And … Continue reading Betsy DeVos Shows Her Ignorance – Again

How public schools open this next school year are questions that still need some answers. What we do know is that there are over 1 million students who will not be starting school in person but remotely. From what we already know from history is that even with a surplus in the budget, Phil Berger … Continue reading Dear NCGA, Go Ahead And Waive Standardized State Tests And School Performance Grades For Next Year

As the 2020 elections approach and partisan electioneering is ramping up to the highest levels, there is one particular item that hopefully voters will not forget when deciding to cast a ballot in November, especially if public education continues to be a focal point for making a decision. On Aug. 1st, 2018 the News and Observer ran … Continue reading Dear NCGA, Where is the $730 Million You Owe North Carolina School Districts? Remember, There’s A Pandemic Going On.