South Raleigh News

As the school year begins, Governor Roy Cooper will continue "The Year of Public Schools," highlighting developments in North Carolina public schools and urging the legislature to fully fund public education and invest in teacher pay.

During the summer break, Republican lawmakers advanced efforts to allocate taxpayer dollars to vouchers for private schools. House and Senate leaders agreed to spend an additional $460 million on private school vouchers before pausing negotiations. These funds could be used to support public schools, including providing a substantial pay raise for teachers.

"Our public schools are home to hardworking teachers and students who deserve to be supported," said Governor Cooper. "The General Assembly continues to prioritize private school vouchers for the wealthy instead of helping the millions of students who attend our public schools each day."

Republican legislators continue to advocate policies that critics argue undermine and underfund public education. The General Assembly is perceived as neglecting North Carolina’s public schools, where more than 80% of school-aged children are educated daily. Positive developments in North Carolina's public schools include:

- The highest number of National Board-certified teachers in the country.

- Over 325,000 workforce credentials earned by students during the 2022-2023 school year.

- An 87% graduation rate in 2023, one of the highest in state history.

Critics argue that instead of directing hundreds of millions more taxpayer dollars toward vouchers for private schools that predominantly benefit wealthier demographics, the legislature should fully fund public education so that educators and students have necessary resources.

In April, Governor Cooper released his recommended budget for FY 2024-2025 titled "Securing North Carolina’s Future." This budget proposes investing over $1 billion in public schools, raising teacher pay by 8.5%, and providing a $1,500 retention bonus for all teachers.

Governor Cooper declared 2024 as the Year of Public Schools and has been visiting educational institutions across the state advocating for investments in K-12 education, early childhood education, and teacher pay.

Further information about "The Year of Public Schools" proclamation can be found [here].

Details on North Carolina's voucher program are available [here].