student performance

Unphased by the recent teacher walkout, Republican lawmakers continue to invest in their policy priorities, including a fifth consecutive raise for teachers, raises for principals, expanded performance pay programs, new…

Earlier this year, the N.C. State Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction launched the Innovative School District (ISD), an entity created by the General Assembly in 2016 to coordinate…

It seems that politicians and the media can’t stop talking about teacher pay. The claim that the average teacher salary will reach $50,000 this year has been the subject of…

RALEIGH – The Wake County Public School System could scale back its billion-dollar school construction and renovation plans without harm to student learning. That’s the key finding in a new…

Contrary to the claims of school officials and community leaders in Wake County, students do not necessarily perform better in schools that have fewer mobile units or temporary classrooms, more square feet per student, and more acreage. This finding is consistent with national and international research that found no consistent relationship between school facilities and learning. The Wake County Public School System can scale back their multi-billion construction and renovation plans without harm to student learning.

Like other states, North Carolina maintains a system of certification and licensing for public school teachers. Proponents of the system argue that certification standards will separate good teachers from poor ones, but there is no evidence that these standards determine teacher quality. A state-by-state comparison of teacher certification and student performance on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics exam shows that certification standards and teacher testing did not improve test scores. Schools should be able to recruit and retain talented teachers whether they are certified or not.