Education Archives — Progress NC Action

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson told Republican group that NC’s public schools need to be defunded

By Patrick Zarcone / April 5, 2024 / Comments Off

Mark Robinson told the East Wake Republican Club that “it has already been proven that school systems get better results on less money,” and that “cutting the fat” out of the education budget would be “essential.”

Right-wing NC Supreme Court could soon decide the future of the multi-decade, multi-billion-dollar Leandro school funding plan

By Patrick Zarcone / November 3, 2023 / Comments Off

For decades, the NCGOP have failed to adhere to the Leandro court order, refusing to pass measures or a state budget that incorporates the necessary investments toward teachers, school support staff, resources and school infrastructure.

More than $25M in federal grant money coming to NC to provide better pay for teachers, expand school breakfast programs

By Patrick Zarcone / November 3, 2023 / Comments Off

The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that schools here will receive $24 million in grants to help them recruit and keep teachers. In addition, Gov. Roy Cooper announced last week that he would be directing $1.4 million in federal grant funding to help schools expand their school breakfast programs.

As Banned Books Week comes to an end, here’s a look at the current fight against book bans in America

By Patrick Zarcone / October 6, 2023 / Comments Off

Banned Books Week is now in its 41st year and this past year may have been one of the worst when it comes to the freedom to read in America. According to a report by PEN America, the 2022-23 school year saw 3,362 instances of book bans in U.S. public schools.

NC students, underpaid teachers are heading back to under-funded, short-staffed schools as NCGOP continues to ignore the budget

By Patrick Zarcone / August 28, 2023 / Comments Off

“This plan is clear: Starve public schools of what they need to succeed and then criticize them for their shortcomings,” Rep. Julie von Haefen (D-Wake) said.

NC Republicans unveil amendment to Senate bill that would destroy public education as we know it

By Patrick Zarcone / July 18, 2023 / Comments Off

The bill is full of right-wing anti-public school ideas that the party has only dreamed of implementing but have rarely ever been passed into law.

Gov. Roy Cooper declares public education ‘state of emergency’ due to NCGOP’s ‘extreme legislation’

By Patrick Zarcone / June 2, 2023 / Comments Off

“If you care about public schools in North Carolina, it’s time to take immediate action and tell them to stop the damage that will set back our schools for a generation,” Gov. Roy Cooper said.

NC Republicans want to take money out of public schools, spend $550M on private school vouchers

By Patrick Zarcone / May 5, 2023 / Comments Off

Senate Bill 406 and House Bill 823 would put more than $400 million toward private school vouchers by the 2025-26 school year and would reach $550.5 million by 2032.

Gov. Cooper’s budget will raise teacher pay, cut taxes for the middle class, fully fund the Leandro Plan

By Patrick Zarcone / March 24, 2023 / Comments Off

The governor’s budget proposal calls for an average teacher pay raise of 18%, which would make North Carolina’s teacher pay tops in the Southeast, instead of one of the worst.

NC public schools will continue to be underfunded following the latest state Supreme Court ruling on Leandro

By Patrick Zarcone / March 17, 2023 / Comments Off

The case involving the state’s school equity plan – known as Leandro – began in 1994 and 29 years later, public schools have yet to be fully funded thanks to Republicans’ efforts to prevent that from happening.