What will the new federal education law, Every Student Succeeds Act, mean for North Carolina public school students?

State educators and policymakers are currently crafting North Carolina’s plan for submission to the U.S. Department of Education during its March submission calendar.

The plan's academic indicators will continue to include proficiency in English language arts/reading and mathematics, progress of English language learners, graduation rates, and a to-be-decided other academic indicator for elementary and middle schools. In addition, the new law requires the inclusion of other measures of school quality or student success as long as those indicators are valid and reliable, comparable, available statewide and meaningful indicators of student success.

Input is being collected online through the “Let’s Talk” application on NCDPI’s website, in regional meetings with superintendents and school officials, as well as at six public comment sessions to be held from 4-6 p.m. on each of the following dates:
Oct. 6 – North Wilkesboro
Oct. 12 – Jacksonville
Oct. 18 – Fayetteville
Oct. 19 – Tarboro
Oct. 24 – Waynesville
Oct. 25 – Burlington

More specific details about these public comment sessions will be shared in the September Partners’ message and through other avenues.

The 2016-17 fiscal year budget has only recently been finalized and it is already time to begin budget development and planning for the 2017-19 biennium.

Legislators will return to Raleigh in late January to begin their long session and budget development to support the state’s priorities for the next two years. The Governor’s Office requires all state agencies to provide their budget requests in advance so that they may be used to develop the Governor's budget for the General Assembly’s consideration.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Financial and Business Services staff held three listening sessions with local school superintendents, finance officers and other educators. The feedback educators provided made a significant difference in the priority list Board members reviewed at their August meeting.

For example, local education leaders noted that there is a need for assistance in addressing the social and emotional needs of students that can make learning difficult. Other items being considered include funding to address the impact of new legislated changes that will require class sizes to match class size allotments; professional development for teachers; more digital content; master’s degree pay; more competitive salaries for assistant principals and principals; more assistant principals; more adults to support teachers and students (teacher assistants and instructional facilitators); funding for students with special needs; funds to address the impact of losing “lower cost” students to charter schools; reducing allotment categories; removing restrictions on flexibility with teacher assistants, children with special needs and Career Technical Education; and a desire to return to school-based awards versus individual pay differentials.

The State Board of Education recently revised its Interscholastic Athletics Policy (HRS-D-001 click on NCSBE Policy Manual Table of Contents link).

The new policy changes the grade level at which students may participate in interscholastic competition from grades 7 - 12 to grades 6 - 12. As part of this change, 6th grade students may participate in all interscholastic sports with the exception of football.

The policy allows each school district or charter school to determine whether or not 6th graders may participate in interscholastic athletics, with the exception of football.

If you have any questions, please contact NCDPI Healthful Living Consultant Burt Jenkins.

Eight new charter schools were approved this month for a fall 2017 opening date. This will bring the total number of charter schools to 180 and extends the public school options available to students. Charter public schools serve slightly more than 5 percent of North Carolina’s public school students.

The new charters are:
• Emereau: Bladen – Bladen County;
• Discovery Charter School – Durham County;
• Twin City High School – Forsyth County;
• Montcross Charter Academy – Gaston County;
• Johnston Charter Academy – Johnston County;
• Movement School – Mecklenburg County;
• UpRoar Leadership Academy – Mecklenburg County; and
• Rolesville Charter Academy – Wake County.

Charters applicants go through a lengthy selection process involving a review, interviews and recommendations from the NC Charter Schools Advisory Board followed by consideration and action by the State Board of Education. This is all followed by a year of training and preparation for the charter recipients before they receive final approval to open for students.

North Carolinians in the North Central Education Region and the Northwest Education Region have new representatives on the State Board of Education. Amy White of Garner (Wake County) and Todd Chasteen of Blowing Rock (Watauga/Caldwell Counties) attended their first board meeting in August. They were recently appointed to the Board and will serve terms that end March 31, 2023.

Eleven board members are appointed by the Governor and approved by the General Assembly. The State Treasurer and Lieutenant Governor also serve on the Board, which sets policy to guide public schools and public charter schools statewide.

In addition, Board members welcomed three new advisors:
*  Dr. Freddie Williamson, Superintendent Advisor, Hoke County Schools’ superintendent and North Carolina’s 2016 A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year;
*  Melody Chalmers, Principal Advisor, E.E. Smith High School (Cumberland County Schools) principal and 2016 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year; and
*  Bobbie Cavnar, Teacher Advisor, South Point High School (Gaston County Schools) English and Journalism teacher, 2016 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year.