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Public Schools First NC
@publicschoolsfirstnc.org
400 followers 37 following 330 posts
Statewide nonprofit dedicated to supporting public schools.
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publicschoolsfirstnc.org
The State Board of Education approved 2026 legislative priorities that include a new special education funding formula, higher teacher pay, and school calendar flexibility. Let's hope legislators listen! #nced #ncpublicschools
www.wral.com/news/educati...
State Board of Education approves legislative priorities after debate over laptop spending
The State Board of Education votes for a set of priorities every year, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Several requests often end up in House or Senate budget proposals or in a final approve...
www.wral.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:48 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Join us next Wednesday, February 11, at the NCGA Legislative Building in Raleigh to show your support for public schools. The legislature will be in session. Bring signs and let them know we support our schools! #nced #ncpublicschools
February 5, 2026 at 2:02 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Way to go NC PUBLIC SCHOOLS! NCDPI reports that 36.1% of NC's public K - 12th grade students took a career and technical education course, the second-highest percentage in the country. #nced #ncpublicschools
www.wral.com/news/educati...
NC high school students again earn record number of career credentials
WRAL reported earlier this year that North Carolina lawmakers, companies and education leaders have made significant pushes to increase students' access to college coursework and career training.
www.wral.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:05 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Have you made your voting plan for the March 3 primary? Voting by mail has begun! #nced #ncpublicschools
February 3, 2026 at 8:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
With more information coming out about cuts at the Dept. of Ed. it looks like even more taxpayer funds were wasted and civil rights complaints were dismissed rather than investigated. NOT efficient or effective! #nced #ncpublicschools
https://ow.ly/F10K50Y8apY
Education Department paid laid-off OCR staff $38M while dismissing most complaints
A GAO report found the agency did not document the financial trade-offs associated with its RIFs and cannot prove the cuts improved services.
ow.ly
February 3, 2026 at 5:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Don't miss out! Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay informed about public ed news and issues. https://publicschoolsfirstnc.org/resources/newsletters/
February 3, 2026 at 4:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Join us next Wednesday, February 11, at the NCGA Legislative Building in Raleigh to show your support for public schools. The legislature will be in session. Bring signs and let them know we support our schools! #nced #ncpublicschools
February 3, 2026 at 2:24 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
In a stunning case of government waste, the Dept. of Ed. has spent $28 million + in taxpayer funds trying to illegally fire civil rights staff and putting them on administrative leave (paying them to not work). Taxpayer dollars should be spent enforcing civil rights laws!
https://ow.ly/jGvI50Y7xxC
The Education Department's efforts to fire staff cost over $28 million, watchdog says
A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office calculates the cost of efforts to fire civil rights staff, and questions the department's ability to enforce federal civil rights laws.
ow.ly
February 2, 2026 at 5:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
This is what it looks like when legislators refuse to adequately fund schools and the current NC Supreme Court majority allows legislators to continue violating the state constitution.
www.wfae.org/education/20...
After almost two-year wait, education advocates call on Supreme Court to rule on Leandro
More than 700 days after the North Carolina Supreme Court last heard arguments in the nearly 32-year-old Leandro school funding case, there’s still no ruling.
www.wfae.org
February 1, 2026 at 5:45 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Students know that schools and the trips to school should be safe from aggressive immigration tactics - ICE and CBP. The current situation in too many areas across the country is traumatizing our children. #nced #ncpublicschools
https://ow.ly/HNKU50Y5Zuh
Anti-ICE student walkouts are expected Friday. What are schools doing?
K-12 leaders are advised to speak with student organizers before any planned walkouts while keeping students safe and school settings uninterrupted.
ow.ly
January 30, 2026 at 5:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Child care is “wildly expensive” for most people...But teachers’ challenges are exacerbated as their salaries can’t keep up with inflation even as child care costs continue to rise." #nced #ncpublicschools
https://ow.ly/VloQ50Y5pO4
How the child care crisis could strain teacher retention
Rising costs and fewer federal resources for the child care industry present more professional obstacles for teachers who are parents of young children.
ow.ly
January 29, 2026 at 5:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Congratulations to North Carolina Teacher-of-the-Year Finalists!
https://www.dpi.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2026/01/27/nc-teacher-year-finalists-announced
January 27, 2026 at 7:01 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Arkansas lawmakers are seeing the problems with vouchers - will NC lawmakers? Exploding spending, questionable use of funds, and more.
https://arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/23/arkansas-republican-lawmakers-may-be-waking-up-to-fiscal-ramifications-of-school-vouchers/
Arkansas Republican lawmakers may be waking up to fiscal ramifications of school vouchers | Arkansas Advocate
During last week’s meeting of the Arkansas Legislative Council, where members were asked to pour $32 million more into Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ school voucher subsidies, Republican Sen. Breanne Davis of Russellville unintentionally drew attention to a bit of the program’s perverse financial logic. Rep. Jim Wooten of Beebe, one of a handful of Republicans […]
arkansasadvocate.com
January 25, 2026 at 7:00 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Recent polling shows that the general public strongly supports public education https://www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=1405546&f=4119&s=4224&m=1156053&t=4af5348088e3a68e490208101fad3dac06821ff0df09dd2bfda8ca1a214c3448
January 24, 2026 at 7:24 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
This is good news - federal lawmakers are saying NO to Trump's cuts to education. Hopefully the administration will follow the law and distribute the funds. #nced #ncpublicschools
www.edweek.org/policy-polit...
Rebuking Trump, Congress Moves to Maintain Most Federal Education Funding
Funding for key programs like Title I and IDEA are on track to remain level year over year.
www.edweek.org
January 22, 2026 at 3:28 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Our NEW REPORT examines the history of NC’s voucher programs and how they have mutated far beyond their original legislated purpose to become a massive drain on the state budget. Learn more: www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=14...
NEW REPORT - North Carolina School Vouchers: Destroying Public Education
www.icontact-archive.com
January 20, 2026 at 7:21 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
As we prepare to celebrate MLK, Jr. Day, we look back at the huge setbacks to U.S. civil rights. We must recommit to civil rights and public schools for all! https://www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=1405546&f=4119&s=4224&m=1155576&t=4af5348088e3a68e490208101fad3dac06821ff0df09dd2bfda8ca1a214c3448
January 17, 2026 at 3:48 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Funding freezes and grant rejections have caused thousands to lose Head Start services. But good news = fed. judge halted the admin's anti DEI rule banning words like underprivileged, disabilities, and Native American from grant apps. #nced #ncpublicschools
www.the74million.org/zero2eight/h...
Head Start Providers Happy But Cautious After Federal Judge Halts DEI Ban
Several already rewrote their grants and aren’t sure if they can now restore ‘banned’ words. Ruling pauses mass firings but doesn’t undo 2025 layoffs.
www.the74million.org
January 13, 2026 at 3:14 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
It looks like NC may not have a budget until at least April. "North Carolina is the only legislature in the country that didn't pass a budget bill last year. That's because House and Senate Republicans continue to disagree on whether to delay scheduled income tax cuts."
www.wunc.org/politics/202...
NC likely won't have a new budget until at least April, as tax cut impasse continues
North Carolina could remain without a new budget until at least April. Lawmakers had scheduled their first session of 2026 this week but aren't planning to hold any votes.
www.wunc.org
January 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
It's time to get serious about student safety. Ask your NC legislators to do more! "A 2025 School-Based Mental Health Plan report found that more than half of school leaders cited insufficient staffing as the biggest barrier to student safety." #nced #ncpublicschools
ncnewsline.com/2026/01/12/f...
For years, some rural N.C. schools have operated without psychologists • NC Newsline
Fourteen North Carolina school districts have gone years without a staff psychologist, relying on contractors and crisis calls instead of full-time support.
ncnewsline.com
January 12, 2026 at 5:07 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
NC is getting new reading standards. Remember that the NC standards outline skills and concepts to be taught, but the schools select/develop the curriculum materials. Also, unlike public schools, private schools don't have standards requirements! #nced #ncpublicschools
www.wral.com/news/local/r...
State Board of Education approves new reading, writing standards
The new standards expand reading and writing requirements to include poetry and even audio texts.
www.wral.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:03 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
Let's connect the dots! NC is shortchanging its children and it's time for us to hold lawmakers accountable.
ow.ly/JPyI50XU8Oc
NC shortchanges its children – on purpose - Public Ed Works
By Emma Battle Public Ed Works RALEIGH (January 8, 2025) – Are North Carolina’s neighborhood public schools failing our children — or are we failing to support our neighborhood public schools? A recen...
ow.ly
January 9, 2026 at 6:06 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
It's January 1 and our legislature has ensured tax cuts for the rich next year, but it hasn't managed to pass a state budget. Something is seriously wrong!
ncbudget.org/jan-1-tax-cu...
Jan. 1: Tax cuts for the rich in NC — still no state budget - NC Budget & Tax Center
The New Year will bring little certainty to everyday North Carolinians.  State legislators have failed to use the policy tools available to them to address rising costs for the basics, from food to ch...
ncbudget.org
January 1, 2026 at 6:50 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
In 2026, let's make sure the BEST choice is fully funded - PUBLIC Education! #nced #ncpublicschools #ncpol
www.publicedworks.org/2025/12/don-...
Don Martin: Public schools offer a better choice - Public Ed Works
By Don Martin WINSTON-SALEM (December 23, 2025) – In 2013, the NC General Assembly passed the “Opportunity Scholarship” law to provide scholarship funds for low-income students who wished to attend pr...
www.publicedworks.org
December 31, 2025 at 2:51 PM
publicschoolsfirstnc.org
It is great to see more NC educators running for elected office in 2026. Educators know how to make good things happen! #nced #ncpublicschools
www.newsobserver.com/news/politic...
NC teachers to run in GOP primary for state legislature. Will it have an impact?
N.C. Republican Party is accusing the NC Educators on the Ballot of trying to mislead voters by running candidates in the GOP primary.
www.newsobserver.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:45 PM