South Raleigh News

On September 5, 2024, Governor Roy Cooper and Democratic legislative leaders held a press conference to highlight Republican legislators' plan to allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to private school vouchers, which they argue should instead be directed towards public schools. Joining the Governor were Rep. Robert Reives, Sen. Dan Blue, Sen. Michael Garrett, Sen. Lisa Grafstein, Rep. Sarah Crawford, and Rep. Cynthia Ball.

“Republican legislators are returning to Raleigh to siphon hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars out of public schools and give it to the wealthy through private school vouchers,” said Governor Cooper. “This would be disastrous for our public schools and the future of our state. They should invest in public education instead so we can give teachers an overdue pay raise."

The General Assembly is set to reconvene on Monday with plans to fully fund private school voucher expansion, amounting to $625 million in new funding this year alone.

Expanding private school vouchers could disproportionately affect rural North Carolina counties where access to private education is limited and public schools play a crucial role in communities. More than one-quarter (28) of North Carolina’s counties have no or just one private school participating in the voucher program. By diverting public funds to wealthier urban areas, these vouchers are exacerbating resource gaps and undermining educational opportunities for rural students.

Private schools receiving vouchers are not regulated or accountable to taxpayers despite utilizing taxpayer money. Vouchers cover tuition for institutions that do not have reporting requirements on student performance, inclusivity mandates regarding race, gender, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs, nor the obligation to hire licensed teachers.

Additionally, many top private schools in the state do not accept state vouchers, meaning students are not provided new opportunities at these institutions. The participating schools often exclude certain students and frequently fail to meet key quality metrics.

Public schools serving over 84% of students face increasing demands with limited resources. North Carolina ranks near the bottom among states in K-12 funding, spending nearly $5,000 less per student than the national average. The state also lags behind nationally in teacher pay, recently dropping to 38th place.

An updated analysis by the Office of State Budget and Management indicates that if the General Assembly fully expands the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program, nearly $100 million could be diverted from public schools within its first full year. Additionally, this expansion will cost the state $277 million in new spending during its initial year.

Governor Cooper argues that instead of channeling substantial taxpayer dollars towards unaccountable private school vouchers benefiting primarily wealthy demographics, investment should focus on public education for necessary resources for educators and students statewide.

The proposed $625 million for private school vouchers could alternatively:

- Provide an 8.5% average raise for teachers

- Offer a $1,500 retention bonus for most public school educators

- Restore Master’s pay for over 1,000 teachers with advanced degrees

- Hire 575 additional nurses, counselors, social workers and psychologists for public schools across the state

Governor Cooper has declared 2024 as the Year of Public Schools and has been visiting various educational programs across North Carolina advocating investments in K-12 education and teacher compensation.