2020 Public Policy Conference
Early bird rate: $250 – After January 3: $325
CLICK HERE FOR DRAFT AGENDA
2020 Election Landscape – How Races are Shaping Up in the Newly Drawn Districts
Anna Beavon Gravely, NC Free Enterprise
Transforming an Education Culture – Tips & Tools to Improve Teacher Recruitment, Retention, Leadership, & Effectiveness
Freebird McKinney & Julie Pittman
A Roadmap to Locally Maximize Educational Attainment & Economic Alignment
MyFutureNC & Rowan Education Collaborative
State School Superintendent Candidates Forum
Candidates Who Did Not Participate in the Candidates Forum at Annual Conference
All We Have to Do is Explain it to Them, Right? A Proven Method to Effective Advocacy
Joe Stewart
Competency-Based Learning: “In a Proficiency System, Failure or Poor Performance May Be Part of the Student’s Learning Curve, But it is Not an Outcome.” A NC Principal Shares Successes, Challenges, & Shows How Your District Can Implement this Education Model
Elizabeth MacWilliams, James Aldridge, Carrol Middle School Students
Innovative School District (ISD) – Changes You Need to Know
JB Buxton & James Ellerbe
What Else is Trending at the NC General Assembly (NCGA):
Various Presenters
✓ Session Update
✓ Clarity Around CBD & Hemp
✓ “Year-Round” Calendar: Trend Making Headlines & Raising Concerns
✓ School Construction Status Report
✓ Other Topics – Suggestions are Welcome
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
School Technology Resolution
NCSBA has been hard at work trying to formulate a responsible payment option for the unpaid $730 million that the State still owes to public schools per a 2008 court judgment. The judge ruled that those funds should have been used exclusively for school technology but were instead unconstitutionally diverted by several State agencies to other purposes. For more background on this case, click here.
We would like to thank the 33 school districts (click here to see list) that have already shared and advocated their adopted resolutions, as well as the districts that plan to adopt resolutions at this month’s school board meeting. We encourage each district to consider how these funds could benefit their students. If your district adopted the resolution but you do not see it listed, please email a copy of your resolution to Rebekah Howard at rhoward@ncsba.org. Please let Rebekah know if you need a copy of a sample resolution.
K-3 Reading Assessment Update
According to a WRAL media report, DPI and Istation, the new company chosen by DPI to assess the reading skills of North Carolina’s K-3 public school students, filed a joint motion earlier this month for a ruling on the two parties’ October court arguments. Istation’s contract has been on hold for months due to a legal review requested by Istation’s competitor Amplify who was replaced by Istation.
State Board of Education Meeting – December 4-5
The State Board of Education met this week to discuss topics including Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) and high school history course requirements. Data presented at the meeting showed that the percentage of teachers passing licensure exams has been decreasing over the past few years, with the passing rate going from 96.0% in 2014 to 80.2% in 2018. The downward trend became noticeable after a 2016 law allowed teachers to begin working without a continuing professional license, as long as they passed their licensure exam within their third year of teaching. Dr. Tomberlin of DPI made the point that although this downward trend is seen as a problem, it could also be viewed as a better alternative than filling classrooms with substitutes. Click here to view the EPP presentation.
HB 924: Teacher Contract Changes (S.L. 2019-82) establishes the completion of an Economics and Personal Finance (EPF) course as a public high school graduation requirement beginning with the freshman class of 2020-21. Board members were presented the revised history course requirements, which would combine the currently required two American history courses into one course in order to add the EPF course to the graduation requirements. The Board will vote on this revision at the January 2020 meeting. Click here to view the history course revision presentation.
Click here to access all Board materials.
Candidate filing opened on Monday, December 2. Click here to view a list of all candidates who will appear on 2020 ballots in NC.
Leanne E. Winner
Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6686
Bruce Mildwurf
Associate Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6692
Richard Bostic
Assistant Director of Governmental Relations
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6677
Rebekah Howard
Governmental Relations Research Specialist
N.C. School Boards Association
(919) 747-6688