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  • House Votes to End Dues Check Off Benefit for NCAE

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on January 5, 2012

    Late last night, amidst legislative maneuvering and name calling, House Republicans overrode Governor Perdue’s veto of SB-727 and voted to stop the state from collecting membership dues from public school employees.  Two Democrats (Rep. William Brisson – Bladen and Rep. James Crawford – Granville) joined with 67 Republicans in supporting the override. The legislation, sponsored by [...]

  • Education Editorial: long on rhetoric, short on facts

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on December 9, 2011

    “It’s time for the Republican legislators to stop deluding themselves about the adequacy of their funding for public education.” Winston Salem Journal Editorial, November 15, 2011 That’s the reckless accusation of editors at the Winston-Salem Journal (WSJ) who assail Republican legislators in an editorial for slashing public school budgets, punting tough decisions to locals and [...]

  • Class Size Ratios: Time to Throw Away an Outdated Idea

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on November 21, 2011

    For years a certain unquestioned assumption has governed North Carolina public schools: smaller class sizes in the lower grades will help boost student achievement. The formal term, “class size reduction” or CSR, determines how money is allotted to Local Education Agencies (LEAs).  In grades K-3, the ratio is one teacher per 18 students and the [...]

  • State Lawmakers’ “Risky Business”

    Posted in Education by Andrew Henson on October 18, 2011

    Risk is the word of the day on Jones Street.  “At-risk” that is. A term used for deciding eligibility for the state’s Pre-K program (formerly More at Four), “at-risk” has had a rather fluid definition over the years. Now lawmakers are seeking to clarify, and perhaps alter, the state’s at-risk definition to tailor the program [...]

  • School Job Losses in Large LEAs Contradict Left’s Talking Points

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on October 14, 2011

    An August 31st   press release by the Department of Public Instruction declared that this fall, the public schools will eliminate more than 6,300 positions and layoff more than 2,400 school staff—including over 530 teachers –  from existing positions.  A spreadsheet attached to the same document details how North Carolina public schools have lost more than 8 [...]

  • The General Assembly’s Pre-K Lemons

    Posted in Education by Andrew Henson on October 11, 2011

    Life handed the General Assembly lemons, and they’re making… Well, for the time being they’re still just lemons. But recent developments at the General Assembly in the form of a legislative study committee could mitigate some of the Republican-controlled legislature’s public relations woes surrounding the state’s celebrated Pre-Kindergarten (formerly More at Four) program. Such legislative [...]

  • Dem Budget Tour Brings Everything But the Truth

    Posted in Budget & Taxes, Education by Bob Luebke on September 26, 2011

    Earlier this week House and Senate Democrats began a state wide budget tour to criticize the Republican-authored state budget and job losses in state government and the public schools. Democrat law makers, local officials and individuals directly impacted by budget cuts dutifully showed up at various stops to criticize policies and plead for more money. [...]

  • What You Don’t Hear in the Discussion About Teacher Layoffs

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on September 16, 2011

    Remember this figure: 18,000 plus.  That figure, according to Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue and House minority leader Joe Hackney  ( D-Orange ), – is the number of public school jobs that would be lost if the Republicans passed their version of the 2011-12 state budget. Last week, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) released results [...]

  • NCAE: Pick-a-Fact is Not a Useful Strategy

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on September 7, 2011

    The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) is mad. And they want you to be too. For the past several weeks, the organization has been decrying the impact of state budget cuts on schools around the state. Earlier this week John de Ville, a teacher at Macon County Schools and NCAE member, took his turn [...]

  • Teaching Fellows: A Closer Look

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on August 15, 2011

    Recently the News & Observer ran a story and an editorial taking issue with my comments recommending the elimination of the Teaching Fellows program. This article is a response to the Thursday, August 4th News & Observer editorial N&O editors make a weak case for why North Carolina taxpayers should continue to fund the Teaching [...]

  • Perdue Issues Executive Order, GOP Scapegoated for Manning Decision

    Posted in Education by Andrew Henson on August 15, 2011

    It’s becoming quite trendy to blame Republicans for the recent decision by Judge Howard Manning to decree that all at-risk children receive Pre-K services. GOP leadership in the General Assembly wrote the Pre-K budget, Manning ruled against the Pre-K budget, therefore Manning ruled against the GOP—or so their logic goes. “The North Carolina Democratic Party [...]

  • Who are the Friends of Public Education?

    Posted in Education by Bob Luebke on August 8, 2011

    “We have always indicated to the people of North Carolina and indeed the world that North Carolina would never abandon its commitment to improve public education and to have the best university and community college system in the world,” said Rep. Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland)  at a Democratic news conference. “With this budget, it turns out [...]

  • Judge’s Decision Leaves Pre-K in Chaotic Confusion

    Posted in Education by Andrew Henson on August 2, 2011

    A recent ruling by Judge Howard Manning could bring sweeping changes to the childcare industry– mandating all children considered “at-risk” receive state-funded Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) services. Or, it might not have any impact at all. Such are the wide ranging interpretations of the meaning and impact of the Superior Court Judge’s decision, which have befuddled North [...]

  • Community Colleges Opt Out of Federal Student Loan Program in Fear of Liability

    Posted in Education by Matt Willoughby on July 21, 2011

    The North Carolina Community College System reports 18 of its schools have decided to opt out of the federal student loan program. They fear their colleges could be at risk if many student borrowers default on those loans. The default rate on federal student loans continues to rise in North Carolina and some  community colleges [...]

  • Wisconsin Union Battle: Framing the Debate in North Carolina?

    Posted in Education, Legislative Activity by William Bejan on July 5, 2011

    Amidst the controversy surrounding recent legislation that would have affected the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), people are regrettably misinformed.  Gov. Bev Perdue’s veto of legislation banning automatic dues payments from NCAE members’ paychecks exposed several prevailing misconceptions. First, the NCAE has certain self-interests. The NCAE is a lobbying group representing the welfare of [...]

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