State Board of Education Vision:Every public school student in North Carolina will be empowered to accept academic challenges, prepared to pursue their chosen path after graduating high school, and encouraged to become lifelong learners with the capacity to engage in a globally-collaborative society.
State Board of Education Mission:The mission of the North Carolina State Board of Education is to use its constitutional authority to guard and maintain the right of a sound, basic education for every child in North Carolina Public Schools.
Friday, February 17, 2023
Highlights
North State JournalA.P. Dillon | Feb. 15, 2023: Another Parents’ Bill of Rights may be filed in the House - In an interview with North State Journal on Monday, House Education Committee Chair Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) indicated that the House will have some additions to the Senate Bill 49, the Parent’s Bill of Rights. Torbett said the focus of legislators for the last 18 months has been looking at a “new form of education” that he calls the “trifecta” of students, parents, and teachers.
North State JournalA.P. Dillon | Feb. 16, 2023: New DPI report ties teacher effectiveness to mitigation of pandemic learning loss - A new white paper report from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration (OLR) links teacher and principal effectiveness to mitigation of pandemic learning loss. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said in a press release that the latest findings from the state’s learning loss data underscore the value of measuring teacher effectiveness and its impact on student achievement.
February 2023 Consensus General Fund Revenue Forecast
The Consensus Forecasting Group, comprised of economists at OSBM and the General Assembly’s Fiscal Research Division, has agreed upon a revised consensus General Fund revenue forecast for FY 2022-23 and the first consensus forecast for the 2023-2025 biennium. The revised consensus forecast for FY 2022-23 anticipates overcollections of $3.25B (10.7%) relative to certified revenues of $30.51B, putting total state General Fund revenue collections at $33.76B.
Nine outstanding public school principals have been selected as regional Wells Fargo North Carolina Principals of the Year who will now compete for the state title of 2023 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year. The winner will succeed the 2022 recipient, Dr. Patrick Greene, principal of Greene Central High School (Greene County Schools).
The nine regional Wells Fargo principals of the year are:
Northeast: John Lassiter, Hertford Grammar (Perquimans County Schools)
Sandhills: Jim Butler, Richmond Senior High (Richmond County Schools)
Northwest: Jessica Gravel, Drexel Elementary (Burke County Public Schools)
Piedmont-Triad: Donna Bledsoe, Cedar Ridge Elementary (Surry County Schools)
Southeast: Ashley Faulkenberry, Trent Park Elementary (Craven County Schools)
North Central: Dr. William Logan, Hillside High (Durham Public Schools)
Western: Ruafika Cobb, Ira B. Jones Elementary (Asheville City Schools)
Southwest: Tonya Williams, Concord Middle (Cabarrus County Schools)
Charter: T.J. Worrell, NE Academy for Aerospace and Advance Technologies (Elizabeth City)
The Wells Fargo Principal of the Year Award was introduced in 1984 to recognize the critical role of the principal in establishing a culture that supports the pursuit and achievement of academic excellence in North Carolina schools. The 2023 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year will be announced May 19.
This year, with support from Equitable, the May 19 ceremony will be livestreamed on the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Learn more about the program here. Follow us at #NCTOYPOY.
Bill Summary - The PCS for HB 8 would require the State Board of Education to make computer science a standalone graduation requirement by reducing the number of required science credits and would make technical and clarifying changes.
Bill Summary - The PCS for HB 11 would make the following changes:
Authorize boards of trustees to collaborate and enter into joint contracts with other education boards.
Direct the State Board of Education to evaluate the schools as an alternative school.
Clarify the eligibility criteria for admissions to require the student's needs are related to the specialized program, and that the student has the appropriate level of functioning to participate and is not a danger to themselves or others.
Provide for appointments of the initial board within 60 days of the bill becoming affective, terms beginning 90 days after the bill becoming effective, and an initial meeting no later than 105 days after the bill becomes law.
Providing an additional interim transition report from the Department of Public Instruction, due May 15, 2023.
Requires the individual boards of trustees to provide interim and final transition reports to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.
Provide that current employment contracts would transfer to the new board.
Grandfather current State Human Resources Act status for existing employees.
Require for cause dismissal and waiver of additional licensure requirements for current administrative personnel through June 30, 2025.
Bill Summary- HB 47 would allow individuals licensed under the Private Protective Services Act of Chapter 74C of the General Statutes to carry firearms and be security guards for nonpublic schools.
Bill Summary - HB 17 would propose an amendment to the North Carolina Constitution that would make the following changes:
The Superintendent of Public Instruction would become the chair of the State Board, in addition to being the chief administrative officer.
Members would no longer be appointed to the State Board. Instead, a number of members equal to the number of North Carolina's apportioned members of the U.S. House of Representatives would be elected from districts established by the General Assembly. These districts would not be subject to the Governor's veto. The elected members would serve staggered four-year terms, and vacancies would be filled in a manner established by law.
Bill Summary - HB 49 would authorize an individual who has a valid concealed handgun permit, or who is exempt from obtaining that permit, to carry a handgun in a place of religious worship that is also educational property if:
The property is not owned by a local board of education or county commission.
The property is not a public or private institution of higher education.
The property is not posted with a notice prohibiting carrying a concealed handgun on the premises.
The handgun is only possessed and carried on the property outside of school operating hours.
Authorize certain law enforcement facility employees to carry a concealed handgun in the facility.
Much of my career has been spent trying to make sure people across the state are comfortable and confident participating in state government, from walking into the legislature to interacting with policymakers.
Here is a link to the North Carolina Constitution.
Article II: Legislative power
Article II of our state constitution vests legislative power in the N.C. General Assembly.
Each session of the General Assembly in North Carolina convenes for two years — often referred to as a biennium. Our “long” session started at noon on Jan. 11, 2023.
In the long session, bills are introduced, and a two-year budget is adopted. This resource by the Office of State Budget and Management explains how the state budget is created. Each biennium, the state House and Senate alternate which chamber takes the lead on budget legislation. This session the House will take the lead.
Mark Robinson is the lieutenant governor and president of the Senate. Though not a legislator, the lieutenant governor serves as the presiding officer of the Senate and has the power to vote when the members of the Senate are equally divided. The president pro tempore of the Senate is Phil Berger from Eden. He has served as president pro tempore since 2010, and this is his 12th term.
The House and Senate calendars are helpful for citizen advocates because they give you notice of when bills will be taken up in committee and on the floor. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t surprises!
If you decide to make the trip to Raleigh, here is the information you need on directions to the legislature, parking, info on attending sessions, and dining. Here are the building rules.
If you can’t come to Raleigh, you can listen in remotely. Here is a link to audio broadcasts so you can listen in on the House and Senate chambers as well as important committee rooms and the room used for press conferences. Many committee rooms also have video livestreams now as well. You can also follow activity in the chambers using the House dashboard and the Senate dashboard.
This very complicated chart shows you how a bill becomes law in North Carolina. Note that often the ideas for bills starts with you, the concerned citizen.
Here is information about how to register as a lobbyist with the secretary of state.
Bill tracking
Here are some ways to track what is happening with the education bills you care about most.
EdNC’s Alex Granados is updating our bill tracker weekly. As the session unfolds, you will be able to see which bills meet the crossover deadline and which ones get passed.
On the legislature’s website, you will find in the upper right hand corner a bill search. Type in the number of the bill there. This will take you to the landing page for the bill. There you can find a bill digest prepared by the UNC School of Government’s Legislative Reporting Service. You can also find up-to-date versions of the bill summary. This is where you will find the most current version of the bill, bill sponsors, votes on the bill, and can track the bill history.
One way to monitor legislation is through the UNC School of Government’s Legislative Reporting Service. There is no charge, and you don’t need to sign in to view the daily bulletin, bills, and bill summaries. But if you create a free account, you can monitor select bills and create reports tailored to your interests. Here is the website.
The N.C. State Board of Education provides bill tracking. The N.C. Association of School Administrators also provides bill tracking.
Article III: Executive power
Article III of our state constitution vests executive power in the governor. Here is the website for Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat.
The governor has the power to propose a budget. Here is the website of the Office of State Budget and Management. Kristin Walker is the state budget director.
Article IV: Judicial power
Here is the website for the N.C. Supreme Court. Here is the website for the N.C. Court of Appeals.
Here is EdNC’s coverage of Leandro, the lawsuit that established a state constitutional right to a sound, basic education.
Article IX: Education
Section 4 of Article IX of our state constitution establishes the roles of the State Board of Education and the superintendent of public instruction. Here is the website of the State Board of Education, here are the members, here are the meeting dates for 2023. Eric Davis is the chair of the State Board of Education. Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin is the director of operations and policy. Here is the board’s strategic plan.
The superintendent of public instruction is Catherine Truitt. Here is the website for the Department of Public Instruction.
Here is where you can find information about charter schools.
There is a division of non-public education in the state department of administration. Here you can find information about home schools, and here you can find information about private schools.
Mebane Rash - Mebane Rash is the CEO and editor-in-chief of EducationNC.
