From March of 2019 in the News & Observer about the new average teacher pay in North Carolina: The average salary for a North Carolina public school teacher has risen 5 percent to nearly $54,000 this year. New figures released Wednesday by the state Department of Public Instruction estimate the average salary for teachers to be $53,975 — $2,741 … Continue reading Many Incumbent NC Lawmakers Brag About Average Teacher Pay In Their Campaigns. Here’s Why That is Misleading.

The release of WestEd's Leandro Report and its resounding call that NC should seismically increase its funding of public education will reverberate strongly in these next few months; 2020 promises to be a contentious election year. And public education is one of the issues (along with Medicaid expansion) that has prompted Sen. Phil Berger to … Continue reading What Our State Superintendent Said About The Leandro Report

The recommendation of "Increase the cap on Exceptional Children funding" is used five times in WestEd's Leandro Report  I am the proud parent of two children in our public schools. One is a highly intelligent and academically driven young lady. The other one is a sixth grader and what some in the educational field might … Continue reading What This Teacher Who Is A Parent Of A “Special-Needs” Child Saw In The Leandro Report – INCREASE FUNDING. (Here’s An Idea)

Earlier today, Sen. Phil Berger released the following statement. This is not the first time Berger has issued such a statement. Remember the last part of October? From the News & Observer: Republicans in the General Assembly are offering Democrats a deal that would mean raises for teachers and some other state employees if the state budget … Continue reading Holding Teacher Pay Hostage Again – The Latest From Sen. Phil Berger

These two data exhibits in the recently released Leandro Report paint a vivid picture of what many in this state have been describing for years: the weakening of the teacher pipeline in North Carolina because of policies set by the NCGA. From 2009-10 to 2016-17, the percentage of new teachers who came from the UNC … Continue reading WestEd’s LEANDRO Report – An Argument To Vastly Expand The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Program To Include All NC Public Colleges & Universities, Especially Our HBCU’s

As the Leandro Report by WestEd was released, it was no doubt that those who have been at the helm of budgetary control in North Carolina would try and deflect the report's findings. Sen Berger's spokesperson Pat Ryan offered the senator's thoughts and those thoughts show an absolute denial of culpability. “Money doesn’t buy outcomes,” … Continue reading Sen. Berger’s Pathetic Response To WestEd’s LEANDRO Report

When starting to filter through the data-rich and incredibly detailed Leandro Report many of the very issues that public school advocates have been calling attention to for years were not only echoed, but were also explained in context of other issues that affect our public education system. These 12 data exhibits help to summarize some … Continue reading 12 Glaring Data Exhibits From The Leandro Report In NC

It was released today. Here is a copy: Sound Basic Education for All - An Action Plan for North Carolina. It's 301 pages. It has 65 data exhibits in the actual report. It has 52 data exhibits in the appendices. And it has 12 basic findings listed below. Finding #1: Funding in North Carolina has declined … Continue reading LEANDRO REPORT Is Out – 300+ Pages That Beg Answers From Our Reform-Minded Lawmakers

Two of them were delivered just this week. And all four of them were penned by State Board of Education members. 1. That Letter From Dale Folwell. Remember this from last April? “Did You Know? During 2017, the state spent $3.3 billion on medical and pharmacy benefits. At the same time, costs have increased 5 … Continue reading Four Letters That Display The Intentional Disconnect Leaders Have With Teachers & Public Education

When people like Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, Sen. Phil Berger, and even State Superintendent Mark Johnson want to tout how much this current NCGA leadership has done for teacher pay in North Carolina just remember: New teachers will always be on this salary schedule. And they will never be on either of these.   Imagine … Continue reading Just Remember, This NCGA Made Sure That New Teachers Would Never…