Funding

Last month, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Center for American Progress and the US Chamber of Commerce released the third annual State-by-State Report Card on Educational Improvement.

Although they are separate from traditional public schools, North Carolina’s public charter schools are entitled to equal per-student funding. The North Carolina Supreme Court has upheld a decision that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools owe Charlotte area charter schools almost $6 million – with some of the money overdue by 8 years.

As part of an investigative series on stimulus spending, ABC News Channel 11 examines the tens of millions in federal funding that may be lost if pending charter school legislation fails to move forward in the state Senate. 

Connecting the dots between the U.S. Dept. of Education's Race to the Top initiative and pending legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly, the editorial board of The Greensboro News & Record is calling for the state to lift its cap on public charter schools.  Here's an excerpt:

Today we had the pleasure of speaking with Tim Boyum of News Channel 14 on the topics of charter schools, school funding and educational choice.  Tim’s show,  Political Connections, airs Friday evenings at 6 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. Please be sure to catch Tim’s interview with PEFNC President Darrell Allison this weekend!

PEFNC Board Member John Bryson submitted the letter below to The News and Observer last week, addressing the need for fair accountability measures for alternative charter schools:

In response to Keung Hui’s “Would-be charter schools” column on April 20, it is worth noting the actual shut-down rate of alternative charter schools serving at-risk students. 

New Hanover school officials have responded to parents worried about the prospect of earlier school start times. The result is a creative "layover" busing plan to cut costs while still assisting families who choose non-traditional and open enrollment schools.

In the months leading up to the 2009 election, there was a lot of talk about preparing North Carolina's children for the jobs of the future. In Davidson County, a proposed career academy would do just that.