Tag Archives: Department of Public Instruction

From an editorial that appeared in the News & Observer, Educators cite a variety of reasons – from aggressive student-retention programs to the decline in teenage pregnancies – but the sluggish economy appears to be the biggest reason our public-school graduation rate is the highest in more than 30 years. Wow, I thought “educators” hadContinue Reading

Last week, I mentioned that the NC Department of Public Instruction received 161 letters of intent from groups looking to apply for a charter from the state.  I obtained the list of the potential applicants.  Here is the breakdown: Fourteen of the applicants would like to open a charter school in Wake County, while 33Continue Reading

At a press conference yesterday, Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson called the Senate budget “unacceptable.”  She would like the legislature to spend more money on public schools. I just thought that you would like to know that.  There wasn’t much media coverage of the event. Bill Harrison, chairman of the State Board of Education,Continue Reading

The General Assembly is contemplating a proposed constitutional amendment that would, among other changes, allow the legislature to appoint four individuals to the State Board of Education (SBE).  Currently, the governor appoints all eleven members to the SBE, including the chair.  Members serve staggered, eight-year terms. If passed in its current form, the governor wouldContinue Reading

In Part 1, I addressed the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI) survey of education position loss and Reduction in Force (RIF).  In this post, I will discuss the data. There are multiple discrepancies between the survey data and other statistical resources published by DPI. 1. Reduction in Force (positions that were filled when eliminated)Continue Reading

After yesterday’s release-retraction-release of education job loss statistics from the NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the usual suspects lined up to blame Republican legislators for “draconian” cuts to public schools.  The News & Observer had an incredibly misleading, i.e., typical, headline, “N.C. school cuts just keep coming.” In Part 1, I will examine theContinue Reading

According to a Department of Public Instruction press release, North Carolina’s graduation rates increased and test scores decreased last year.   We do not know why the graduation rate and pass rate are going in separate directions. One possible explanation is that the weak job market encouraged academically weak students to stay in school and earnContinue Reading