Contributing to an informed citizenry, inside and outside the classroom.
Preface: Over a decade ago Rhett Carlson, a high school science teacher, reverse-engineered EVAAS - a K-12 test data translation tool created by NC-based analytics company SAS and used by the NC Department of Public Instruction. This program is modeled after one that was used in agriculture to increase plant growth and cull dairy herds... Continue Reading →
According to an NC private school voucher marketer, “All it takes is a fire and health inspection." North Carolina's General Assembly just opened the floodgates on what was already the least regulated private school voucher program in the country. Exposing fraud Public education advocate and school finance expert Kris Nordstrom released research in June 2023... Continue Reading →
Fuzzy math talking points don't tell the truth about teacher pay: The average salary step purchasing power increase is .1% from last year (adjust 2022-23 scale to August 23 inflation for accurate purchasing power comparison) The 2023-24 proposed schedule has the worst purchasing power offered in over 15 years
Earlier this month, the NC General Assembly overrode Gov. Roy Cooper's veto to make S49 law. Among other things, this law requires the following: As a teacher tasked with implementing this law in my classroom and a mom of 2 schoolchildren, I was sincerely interested in proactively navigating how the "naming clause" would impact my... Continue Reading →
At yesterday's WCPSS school board meeting, it was shared that some middle and high school students may only receive regular school transportation on an A/B every other week basis because there are 17 bus driver vacancies. While many folks' knee-jerk reaction is to assume this is a local problem with local deficits needing a solution... Continue Reading →
Today the NC General Assembly published a proposal that would make changes to parenting and teaching in North Carolina. You can read the full text here. There's a lot of nonsense in this proposal, but here are 5 items that most jumped out to me after a first round of notes. 1. Create another curriculum... Continue Reading →
A bill making its way through the NC General Assembly seeks in part to make the first day of school more nerve-racking by requiring parent notification before a school staff member may address a student by any altered name. From SB 49 "Parents' Bill of Rights" My student rosters after Day 1 are full of... Continue Reading →
Yesterday I watched my students cross the stage to receive their diplomas and listened to speeches recognizing the unique challenges they faced during the pandemic. I couldn't help but think about a less unique but deeper and more lingering crisis faced by previous classes and set to continue unless more NC residents recognize the problem... Continue Reading →
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