Tackling Equity Head-On

Change School Performance Grades to End Stigmatization of High-Poverty Schools

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: North Carolina’s school performance grades stigmatize schools with high concentrations of students from families with low incomes by emphasizing student achievement.

RECOMMENDATION:

  • Growth
  • Achievement Gaps
  • Access to a well-rounded education
  • Level of school segregation

COST: No Cost

Support School Integration

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: Schools where more than 75% of the students were persons of color and from low-income families grew from 295 to 476. NCGA continues to pass and consider laws exacerbating school segregation

RECOMMENDATIONS:

  • Merge segregated districts
  • Transportation incentives
  • School report cards
  • Charter transportation & lunch
  • Close white flight charters
  • Reject further segregation initiatives

COST: Minimal cost to transportation incentives

Create Programs to Attract and Retain Teachers of Color

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: Just 20% of NC teachers are teachers of color. Having just one Black teacher in elementary school reduces dropout rates by 39%.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

  • Add HBCUs to Teaching Fellows
  • Study of teacher prep barriers
  • Office of Educator Diversity
  • Integrate K-12 schools

COST: $1 million for Office of Educator Diversity