Public Schools First Audiocast

In today's episode, we are kicking off season 2 as we discuss the facts of North Carolina School Performance grades.

In today's last episode of season 1 we will discuss and give an update on the NCGA Veto override and its effect on public schools.

In today's episode, we will discuss the Calendar law and its impact on North Carolina schools as another academic year begins!

In this episode of into the Pipeline, I had the opportunity to speak with Madison Goodwin, a 2nd grade student teacher at Hunter Magnet Elementary School. Madison attends Appalachian State University where she studies Elementary Education with a concentration in English Language Arts. This is her story.

This episode continues our exploration into private vs public school in North Carolina, this time centering on the question "Is North Carolina really okay with state sanctioned discrimination?"

This episode discusses alarming revisions to Senate Bill 90.

In this episode, former public school students share how public school has positively impacted them.

According to the 2023 North Carolina Child Health Report Card, North Carolina scored an 'F' on student mental health. Children and Adolescents spend a majority of their time in school meaning schools have to be places of nourishment for the mind academically and emotionally. Investment in mental health programs in schools have proven to be effective in North Carolina. As the aftermath of the pandemic is beginning to reveal itself to researchers, the continued funding of these programs and promotion of resilience in our communities will be necessary in helping this next generation. 

In this episode, I had the opportunity to interview Kamilah Roper, a first grade teacher who has taught for many years in her home country of Jamaica and now here in Wake County. This episode continues our conversation on the differences between teaching in Jamaica versus teaching in America, then expands to the 2022 Color of Education Summit. This is the final part of Kamila's story and this is into the pipeline, an exploration into the lives of past, present, and future North Carolina educators.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to interview Kamilah Roper, a first grade teacher who has taught for many years in her home country of Jamaica and now here in Wake County. This episode touches on the differences between teaching in Jamaica versus teaching in America, a topic we will continue to unpack in later episodes. This is her story and this is into the pipeline, an exploration into the lives of past, present, and future North Carolina educators. Part two of our interview will be released at a later date!

This week we discuss the North Carolina Alliance for Health, a non-partisan coalition whose vision is to reduce health disparities, prevent chronic diseases, and in general promote the health of North Carolinians. 

This week we discuss Specialized Instructional Support Personnel also known as SISPs. Specialized instructional support personnel or SISPs are staff such as school social workers, psychologists, nurses and counselors who provide social, emotional, physical and mental health intervention and prevention to all students and families.

This week we discuss a general overview of public education in North Carolina including information about student demographics, the teaching profession, a-f school performance grades, charter schools, and school vouchers.

This week we discuss rural schools in North Carolina. Rural schools play a critical role in their communities, serving many functions beyond education. Challenges rural schools face include poverty, underfunding, low academic performance, teacher shortages, and lack of access to high-speed internet. Our rural schools are struggling and they need our support.

This week we discuss the status of Special Education in North Carolina. While students as a whole may face difficulties in schooling, those with disabilities have even more significant challenges. Students with disabilities often need extra attention from educators and Inadequate funding levels in North Carolina results in fewer numbers of helping professionals like psychologists, nurses and social workers that often provide vital support for students with disabilities.

This week we discuss North Carolina's 2022-2021 State Budget signed by Governor Roy Cooper on July 11th, 2022. The budget includes pay increases for teachers and state employees, investments in economic development, and the end of North Carolina's Covid-19 state of emergency fund. Despite increases in pay the budget still fails to adequately support NC educators when adjusted for inflation. 

This week we discuss the 2022 Poverty and Opportunity report commissioned by the NC Department of Administration Council for Women and Youth Involvement. 

This week we discuss virtual schools in North Carolina with a specific focus on virtual charter schools. Research has shown that students in virtual charter schools tend to lag behind students in traditional brick and mortar schools. During the Covid-19 pandemic virtual schools were necessary to keep children and educators safe, now that it is safer to return to in person classrooms schools are doing so, however, the conversation surrounding virtual learning is not over.

In this mini episode I answer a question one of our listeners asked a few weeks ago. Thank you so much for listening Kristen, here are more resources you can reference below:

https://northcarolina.teach.org

https://ralc.us/what-is-lateral-entry/

https://pathwaytopractice.com

https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/educator-preparation/alternative-preparation-pathways

This week we discuss the status of LGBTQ+ Youth in education. LGBTQ+ youth are more likely than their peers to experience verbal harassment, exclusion, and physical attacks at school. Parents, educators and other adults who serve children have a key responsibility to create safe spaces so that students can thrive, be successful, and mature into their full potential. The greatest source of resilience for LGBTQ+ youth are supportive adults. 

For more resources on how to support LGBTQ+ please visit https://www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org/resources/important-research/

In this special edition of PSFNC's audio cast we discuss HB755. Please sign our petition against HB755 located here on our website: https://www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org/engage/sign-our-petition/

This week we discuss teacher pay and salary in North Carolina. The current statewide average starting teacher salary in NC, not accounting for county disparities is $37,049, placing North Carolina teacher pay at 43rd in the nation. Low salary is one of the many elements that affect the number of teachers going into and staying in the teaching profession in NC. Please see our fact sheet for more information: https://www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org/resources/fact-sheets/the-facts-on-teacher-pay/

This week we discuss the teacher pipeline crisis in North Carolina. Treating teachers like professionals, paying them professional level salaries, and helping them develop professionally are necessary if North Carolina wants to maintain a quality public education system. Please see our fact sheet for more information: https://www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org/resources/fact-sheets/facts-on-nc-teacher-pipeline/

This week we discuss teacher attrition in North Carolina based on the 2020-2021 NCDPI State of the Teaching Profession Report. Please see our report brief for more information: https://www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org/digging-deeper-connecting-the-dots/

This week we discuss Pre-K in North Carolina, a statewide program launched in 2001 to help at risk 4-year-olds get access to high quality early learning education for free. Please see our fact sheet for more information: https://www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org/resources/fact-sheets/the-facts-on-pre-k/

This week we discuss North Carolina's school evaluation system, a grading system that needs to be changed.