Growth and Achievement in North Carolina

Growth and Achievement: you have probably heard these terms in conversations about education. But what are they? How do they differ, and what do they tell us about North Carolina’s students and teachers? Our new video “Growth and Achievement in North Carolina” explores some of these questions. Find out more at www.best-nc.org/growthandachievement.

Classroom Teacher Allotments North Carolina Public Schools

Note: This blog post features a brief from page 22 of our 2018 Facts & Figures publication, contextualizing North Carolina education data with a short description of an historical feature or a critical issue in North Carolina. Read more at www.NCEdFacts.org.   In North Carolina, the state allots teaching positions to each school district based on the number of students in each grade, according to specific ratios set by the General Assembly. The classroom teacher allotment is by far the largest single state allotment; salary and benefits for teaching positions represent approximately 55% of total state support for education. Over the past seven years, the state changed allotment ratios four times, generally decreasing student to teacher ratios in the lower grades, and increasing them in grades 4 through 12.   Source: NC DPI Highlights of the Public School Budget   In 2016, the General Assembly enacted legislation requiring actual average student to teacher ratios in grades K-3 not to exceed the allotment ratios starting in the 2018-19 academic year. This has sparked considerable debate, in part because for the first time since the development of the state’s Basic Educational Program, districts will be required to use the state’s full position allotment to fund classroom teachers. Currently, there is no separate allotment for elementary school art, music, physical education, and world language teachers.

North Carolina’s New Approach to Teacher Recruitment

The new North Carolina Teaching Fellows program is due to officially launch this month – and it’s a big deal. It’s an exciting opportunity for future teachers, for the students they will serve, and for North Carolina.

Statement from BEST NC on Principal Pay

Cary, NC – This year, North Carolina made the largest investment in state history in principal salaries through an updated salary schedule and bonus opportunities. The impetus was an average principal salary ranking at the bottom of the Southeast and among the lowest in the nation and increasing recognition that that North Carolina’s way of paying principals was outdated and convoluted.

Don Flow: North Carolina should invest in principals- The Winston-Salem Journal

Over the past few years, North Carolina teachers have seen significant pay increases. Signals from Gov. Roy Cooper and last week’s Senate budget proposal indicate that the next few years will see even more increases. This commitment by our legislative leaders is extremely important for the future of our state. The growth of our state is directly tied to the educational outcomes of our students.

Don Flow: Paying School Principals as Executives- The Herald-Sun

Over the past few years, North Carolina teachers have seen significant pay increases. Signals from Gov. Roy Cooper and this month’s Senate budget proposal indicate that the next few years will see even more increases. This commitment by our legislative leaders is extremely important for the future of our state. The growth of our state is directly tied to the educational outcomes of our students.

Sandy Grove Middle School: Heading North, B-Bound

In my experience, this sentence is usually closely followed by, “but it’s too good to be true.” Whether it’s the diet fad that didn’t help you lose those five pounds fast, or that new movie that got rave reviews but didn’t make any sense to you, that old adage is somehow true more often than not.

Lagging Math Scores Hurt North Carolina’s Global Ranking

Results were released this week from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), an academic assessment measuring 15-year-old students’ achievement in key subjects. This time, North Carolina and Massachusetts became the only states in the U.S. top anticipate in the study at a state level, and can now compare student performance in an international context.