Lobbyist's Loft

February 2017

President Trump and Education

Inaugural Address:

In his inaugural address, President Trump described American education as "an education system flush with cash, but leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge". Many educators and education organizations are challenging the President's assertion (see EdSource, Louis Freedberg,Education leaders challenge Trump assertion that students are 'deprived of all knowledge').

Executive Orders:

One of President Trump's first official acts was an executive order putting in place a freeze on all Obama Administration regulations that had not yet taken place. This effectively paused the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) regulations regarding accountability and state plans, which was finalized in November and due to take effect January 30. The incoming Secretary of Education could further delay the regulations.

DeVos Hearing

The nomination of Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education has had serious opposition. During her nomination hearing, Ms. DeVos displayed questionable knowledge of the education process. Those who oppose her nomination, point out that she has no experience with public schools (as a student, parent, or employee). They also point out that her only experience is as a champion of school privatization. The vote on the DeVos confirmation was scheduled for January 24, 2017 but was postponed until January 31, 2017. Democrats requested a second hearing, which was denied. A rally against the DeVos nomination, was scheduled for January 29, 2017 in Washington, DC.

  • Washington Post, Emma Brown; Democrats request another hearing for DeVos, Trump’s education pick, before confirmation vote.
  • NC Policy Watch, Billy Ball; Educators weigh-in on how Trump’s pro-charter, pro-voucher Education Secretary could influence North Carolina’s schools
  • National Association of School Psychologists, Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach; What the Trump Administration Could Mean for Public Education: Betsy DeVos Shares Her Vision for Public Education With the Senate HELP Committee

NC Education: A Look Ahead:

Bonus Time

Some NC educators will receive bonuses based on last year's third-grade reading tests and high school AP exam scores. The amount given to the selected teachers will vary by district due to the state's complex distribution formula. The 1,300 teachers, who were identified as the top 25% statewide, will get $3,523 each. (Raleigh News and Observer, Ann Doss Helms; Bonus time: Some NC teachers will get January rewards based on 2016 exam scores).

In The Courts

Judges plan to hear the legal case regarding legislation passed in December 2016, which would transfer powers from the State Board of Education to the newly elected Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction. The new Superintendent Mark Johnson has joined the lawsuit in favor of the transfer of powers. A restraining order will remain in effect until a three-judge panel makes its decision on the legality of the law. The judges plan to hear the case on June 29, 2017. (WRAL.com, NC Capitol, Kelly Hinchcliffe; Court battle over NC education powers to take place in June)

The 2017 special elections ordered by the courts because of gerrymandering, has been "paused" which makes it unlikely that elections will take place in 2017.

In the Legislature

The NC General Assembly is back in Raleigh for its long legislative session, which is scheduled to last through June 30. This is the beginning of a new two-year biennium, followed by the short session in 2018.The House is slightly more conservative this session than last, due to the losses by a few of the less conservative Republican members who were in swing districts. The House will continue to be lead by Speaker Tim Moore (R). The minority leader this session is Darren Jackson (D). The Senate leader will continue to be Phil Berger (R) and minority leader Dan Blue (D). Senator Bill Rabon (R) was appointed as the powerful Rules Chair and thus will control the flow of legislation in that chamber. The Republicans have a veto proof majority, can move legislation without Democrat support, and could override a possible veto from Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat.

Educator pay tops the agenda for most leaders. There appears to be a consensus regarding a principal pay raise. A study of how we finance education is on the agenda and could result in an overhaul of our current system.

Taxes will also be on the agenda this year. Republicans may want to continue to cut corporate and personal taxes while expanding sales taxes. The Senate maydecide to take up a proposed constitutional amendment that did not pass last year. It would cap personal income taxes at 5.5 % (known as TABOR Taxpayer Bill of Rights). Democrats would like to see targeted tax cuts for middle class and working families. Governor Cooper opposes continuing to cut corporate taxes and personal income taxes that benefit the wealthy. He statedhis budget would include increasing teacher salaries, spending more on early-childhood, and mental-health programs.

Below are selected opinions and editorials, which outline educational public policy issues and legislative climate:

  • WRAL.com, NC Capitol, Kelly HinchcliffeCooper talks teacher pay, school choice at Public School Forum event
  • Raleigh News and Observer, Op-Ed, Keith Poston; In N.C. education, put children ahead of politics
  • Capitol Broadcasting Company Editorial: Legislators - Drop hyper-partisanship and pass agenda NC wants and needs
  • Public School Forum of NC Education Matters is a 30-minute program created to provide the real facts about the state of public education in NC.

As of January 26, 2017, 26 bills have been filed in the House and 17 bills in the Senate. Four House bills deal with education issues and two of those were filed in the Senate. The bills are as follows:

  • H6, S9Ed. Finance Reform Task Force/PED Report-An act to establish the Joint Legislative Task Force on Education Finance Reform, as recommended by the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee.
  • H13 Class Size Requirement Changes-An act to modify the maximum average class size requirements and individual class size requirements for kindergarten through third grade. This is in response to a law passed last session lowering class sizes, but not providing funding for the task. To lower class sizes, LEAs would have to cut teachers in other areas such as the Arts and PE.
  • H20School Calendar Flexibility/Alamance County-An act to provide additional flexibility to Alamance-Burlington Schools in adopting the School Calendar.
  • H20, S15Teachers/Isolated K-12 Schools- An act to provide for teacher allotments for geographically isolated K-12 schools.

Other anticipated bills include:

  • Raise the Age- which is included in the NCSPA 2017 Legislative Agenda. This is a bipartisan effort to keep kids out of the adult court system (see NC Child, Matt Gross; Bridging the Divide to Do Right by Children).
  • School Mental Health- The NC State Board of Education will consider a School Mental Health Policy onFebruary 1, 2017. If the new policy is adopted as expected, there may be some follow-up legislation to help implement this policy.

Articles (and video) of Interest

The Charlotte Observer, Ann Doss Helms; New NC education chief talks about testing, teachers, school choice and Betsy DeVos

Winston-Salem Journal;Our view: Partisan school law goes too far

McClatchy DC, The Charlotte Observer; Thom Tillis: Voters didn’t give Republicans a mandate

Raleigh News and Observer, Op-ed, Samuel Magill; The erosion of the American creed

Washington Post, Emma Brown; ‘School choice’ or ‘privatization’? A guide to loaded education lingo in the Trump era

Associated Press, David A. Lieb; Republicans to target unions, expand school choice in states

NC Policy Watch, The Progressive Pulse; Billy Ball; Charter chain reneges on pledge to only hire licensed teachers

Child Trends On Topic (video), Deborah Temkin; The Future of Bullying Prevention

Huffington Post, Melissa Jeltsen; The Forgotten Victim Of The Sandy Hook Shooting

Office of the Child Advocate, State Connecticut, SHOOTING AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Raleigh News and Observer (video) Zach Galifianakis makes a documentary about how bad gerrymandering has gotten

Cheryl Posner-Cahill, Ed.D

North Carolina School Psychology Association Member Lobbyist