Cooper says NC can afford a more generous budget

Republican leaders in the Senate and House aren’t willing to spend what it takes to make North Carolina a better-educated and more prosperous state, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper said in a news conference on the budget Monday.

NC Senate GOP strips education funding from Democrats’ districts

Republican Sen. Brent Jackson introduced a new budget amendment that he explained would fund more pilot programs combating the opioid epidemic... Jackson didn’t mention where the additional $1 million would come from: directly from education programs in Senate Democrats’ districts and other initiatives the minority party sought.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s teacher pay plan: Raises averaging 10 percent over next two years

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced Monday that his budget will call for 5 percent teacher raises on average this year and next – with a goal of raising pay to the national average in five years.

New TV Ad: "Paper"

Tell the truth on NC school funding

News and Observer editorial, "This Election Day should be a day of reckoning for North Carolina’s Republican legislative leaders who have shirked their responsibility and broken a long state tradition of strong support for public schools."

How HB2 could impact NC classrooms

Education leaders said they believe HB2 ultimately hurts students - especially if millions of federal dollars are taken away. Mark Jewell with NC Association of Educators said no federal money means fewer teachers hired, larger classroom sizes, and programs for homeless students and children with disabilities will suffer.

HB2 could put education funding at risk

Fallout from the Department of Justice warning on House Bill 2 could also hit local schools including K-12 and universities. That's because DOJ said the university system is also breaking federal law by discriminating against transgender students.

Public opposes NC school cuts

Republican leaders in the General Assembly say they’re doing the will of the people, but when it comes to public schools they clearly are not. A High Point University poll released last week found that two-thirds of state residents think public education in North Carolina is heading in the wrong direction. That unease was especially focused on the legislature’s willingness to let per-pupil funding slide and to let teacher assistants go.

North Carolina receives failing grade in education

North Carolina received an F for “supporting teacher professionalism,” a category that includes teacher experience, salaries, attrition rates, and the percentage of university-prepared teachers. South Carolina wasn’t much better with a D.

No 10 percent raise for teachers, NC House speaker says

House Speaker Tim Moore said Thursday that he’d like to give teachers raises this year, but he rejected a proposal for a 10 percent increase, calling it unrealistic. Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson suggested the 10 percent base pay increase Wednesday at a meeting of a House select committee.