On Tuesday, House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, announced House Committee assignments for the 2023-24 legislative session. This announcement follows last week’s opening ceremonies for the 2023 long session and the release of Senate Committee assignments (click here to access last week’s Legislative Update for a list of those assignments.) The legislature plans to start conducting business next Wednesday, January 25.
House Education K-12 Committee
- Chairs: Representatives Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke; Tricia Cotham, D-Mecklenburg; John Torbett, R-Gaston
- Vice Chairs: Representatives Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford; Diane Wheatley, R-Cumberland; David Willis, R-Union
- Members: Representatives Cynthia Ball, D-Wake; Brian Biggs, R-Randolph; Laura Budd, D-Mecklenburg; Ashton Clemmons, D-Guilford; Jeffrey Elmore, R-Wilkes; Ken Fontenot, R-Wilson; Rosa Gill, D-Wake; Frank Iler, R-Brunswick; Jake Johnson, R-Polk; Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth; Brandon Lofton, D-Mecklenburg; Marvin Lucas, D-Cumberland; Larry Potts, R-Davidson; Dennis Riddell, R-Alamance; James Roberson, D-Wake; Phil Shepard, R-Onslow; Frank Sossamon, R-Granville; Larry Strickland, R-Johnston; Julie von Haefen, D-Wake
House Education Appropriations Committee
- Chairs: Representatives Jon Hardister, R-Guilford; John Torbett, R-Gaston; David Willis, R-Union
- Vice Chair: Representative Jeffrey Elmore, R-Wilkes
- Members: Representatives Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke; Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford; Kevin Crutchfield, R-Cabarrus; Rosa Gill, D-Wake; Zack Hawkins, D-Durham; Marvin Lucas, D-Cumberland; Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe; Frank Sossamon, R-Granville; Diane Wheatley, R-Cumberland
In November 2022, the NCSBA Delegate Assembly approved NCSBA’s 2023-2024 Legislative Agenda, which will be used to guide the Association’s advocacy efforts. To provide additional background information on each item in the Legislative Agenda, including NCSBA’s position, issue briefs will be published on the NCSBA website in the coming weeks. In the meantime, five of those issue briefs are linked below.
- Retaining Top Talent & Improving Working Conditions Issue Brief
- High School Athletics Issue Brief
- School Safety Issue Brief
- Administrator Ethics Training Issue Brief
- Local School Funding Structure Issue Brief
The following is the Consortium of State School Boards Association’s (COSSBA) most recent federal education report.
January 17, 2023, Weekly Report
- Headlines for this edition include:
- NC Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-5th) was selected by Republican leadership to be Chair of the renamed Education and Workforce Committee.
- The rules package approved by the US House of Representatives includes a provision to keep spending for fiscal year 2024 at the same level as fiscal year 2022.
- No extension of federal funds for home digital connectivity
- The fiscal year 2023 omnibus spending plan passed by Congress last month did not include extra funding to extend the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). The ECF was established during the pandemic to provide students and teachers with both internet access and digital devices in their homes. The concern is that without such funding, it is harder to close the “homework gap,” that is a result of students not having home internet access.
The following are recent news articles and reports on state and national education-related issues.
State News
- DPI – State Superintendent Truitt and General Assembly Award $3 Million to Support Modernization of CTE Programs
- WCNC – NC school lunch debt has topped more than $1M in just the first few months of school
- WUNC – Where do NC students go after high school? Public schools have a new tool to follow their journey.
- WRAL – Lighting upgrades in NC schools saves hundreds of thousands annually
- The State Port Pilot – School Supt. Oates resigns to take Deputy State position
National News
- The Washington Post – More schools have panic buttons, locks and police, new data shows
- USA Today – Congress got rid of a free lunch for all program. That means some students are going hungry
If your school board is planning to have a function with your legislative delegation, we would be happy for a member of the NCSBA Governmental Relations team to attend. Just let us know! Also, if your school board adopts its own legislative agenda, please forward it to rhoward@ncsba.org.
Bruce Mildwurf
Director of Governmental Relations
NC School Boards Association
bmildwurf@ncsba.org
Rebekah Howard
Advocacy Coordinator
NC School Boards Association
rhoward@ncsba.org
Madison Skeens
Assistant Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
mskeens@ncsba.org
Rob Black
Assistant Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
rblack@ncsba.org