South Raleigh News

Governor Roy Cooper, along with Democratic legislative leaders, held a press conference to announce new legislation aimed at halting the expansion of taxpayer-funded private school vouchers until public schools in North Carolina are adequately funded. The proposed bill, filed in both the House (House Bill 993) and the Senate (Senate Bill 853), introduces accountability measures for private schools accepting voucher students, including standardized testing requirements and services for students with disabilities.

Governor Cooper expressed his concerns, stating, “This scheme is shockingly irresponsible and the legislature must stop spending more taxpayer money on private school vouchers until they fully fund our public schools.”

Rep. Robert Reives criticized the current voucher system, emphasizing the need for oversight and accountability, "Elected officials have a duty to be good stewards of your tax dollars and ensure that money is well-spent."

Sen. Dan Blue echoed these sentiments, highlighting the need to prioritize public school students over subsidizing the wealthiest families, stating, “We can’t keep giving money to the wealthiest families at the expense of North Carolina’s 1.4 million public school students.”

The proposed legislation not only calls for a moratorium on the expansion of the voucher program but also introduces new requirements for private schools, such as reporting graduation rates, attendance records, financial audits, and test scores. It aims to address concerns raised by recent media reports regarding schools with extreme social agendas receiving taxpayer funds, while top private schools in the state do not participate in the voucher program.

The Governor's budget proposal suggests alternative uses for the $625 million allocated for private school vouchers, such as increasing teacher pay, providing retention bonuses, restoring Master’s pay for teachers, and hiring more support staff for public schools. Additionally, the funds could be invested in early childhood education and childcare programs to support working families and enhance NC Pre-K services.

The call for a moratorium on taxpayer-funded private school vouchers underscores the importance of prioritizing public education in North Carolina. Governor Cooper and Democratic leaders advocate for responsible allocation of resources to ensure that all students have access to quality education in well-funded public schools.