Bertie County Schools already have a tight budget, and if the N.C. General Assembly’s plan to give a lot of tax money to private school grants goes through, they could lose a lot of money.
This is what N.C. Governor Roy Cooper says.
The move would allow 55,000 more students to join the program.
According to what the Governor told the Bertie Ledger-Advance last week, if the General Assembly’s plan to expand the voucher program goes through, Bertie County could lose more than $272,000 in public school funding in just the first year.
This is true even though only two private schools are running the Opportunity Scholarship Program. “Just this year, the General Assembly could give up to $625 million in new taxpayer money to private school vouchers across the state.”
Cooper was talking about the vote by the GOP-controlled Legislature to accept more money for vouchers.
He said, “They’re coming back to take hundreds of millions of dollars from public schools and give it to wealthy North Carolinians for private school vouchers.” “We have proof from other states that this is terrible for education in every form.”
The number of kids in a school determines how much money it gets. Cooper stated that public schools get an average of $7,500 from the state for each student enrolled. This money is used to pay for things like teacher salaries, school supplies, and transportation.
If a student from a public school uses a grant to go to a private school, the public school loses the money that was meant to pay for that school.
If the General Assembly fully expands the school voucher program, almost $100 million in state money could be taken from public schools and given to private schools. Cooper gave numbers that show the program will cost the state more than $270 million just in the first year.
Dr. Otis Smallwood, who is the superintendent of schools in Bertie County, was very worried about the news.
Dr. Smallwood said, “It’s very disappointing to know that public tax dollars are being used to give money, now more money, to private school Opportunity Scholarships that are like vouchers.”
“Also, the income requirement has been taken away, which means that some of the richest families can now qualify.” Because districts get money based on how many students they have.
it is very important that we keep as many students as possible in a small rural district like Bertie, where both school enrollment and county population are going down, so that we can keep providing the right academic, social, and emotional services.
The governor said nice things about North Carolina’s public schools.
“Our public schools keep doing great, even though we don’t have enough money.” More than 84% of school-age children in North Carolina still go to public schools, and most parents are happy with their choice. Gov. Cooper said, “And for good reason.” “Great things are happening in our public schools.”
“Our public schools have more nationally board certified teachers than any other state in the country,” the Governor said. “Last year, 325,000 public school students earned credentials for the workforce.”
“Strong public schools are important for the success of our families and our economy.” This goal will not be reached with private school scholarships.
Dr. Smallwood said that he doesn’t mind private schools, but he does not like it when taxpayers pay for them.
“Studies have shown over and over that private schools are not better than public schools.” “It’s just what the parents want,” Dr. Smallwood said. “I have nothing against private schools.” I just don’t think that family choice should be paid for by taxpayer money.
According to Dr. Smallwood, if state funds are going to be given to private schools, then we need to look at ways to hold them accountable and make them just as accountable as public schools.
There are also fewer rules about how private schools in North Carolina work. There are no rules that say private schools have to hire qualified teachers, keep track of how their students are doing, follow the state’s academic standards when it comes to their lessons, or help students with special needs.
The governor says that rural counties will be hit the hardest because most of the private schools that get public money are in cities. In the voucher program, more than a quarter of rural counties have only one or no private schools. In 10 urban counties, on the other hand, half of the private schools are located.
Many people think that the coupon program is only for families with low incomes, which is not true. He made it clear that the private school voucher scheme doesn’t have any limits on money.
Government spokesperson, Gov. Cooper, said, “There’s no doubt that lawmakers are feeling the heat for this bad plan—and they should—from their public school teachers, parents, students, school board members, business leaders, and even county commissioners who will have to pay the price when state funding is cut.”
“But now that the summer is over and there have been reports of federal criminal investigations, expensive vacations, and lawmakers quitting to work as lobbyists, they’re giving in to the for-profit private school industry completely.”
He told people to get in touch with their lawmakers.
“That’s not right for North Carolina.” I urge everyone in North Carolina to tell their lawmakers to vote against this bad plan to give more money to private schools. “Our kids, families, and communities deserve better,” Gov. Cooper said.
“With the money that is spent on vouchers, that money can be put back into public schools so that we can keep raising teacher and staff pay and offering other services to attract and keep the best teachers for public schools, where the vast majority of kids are still going,” Dr. Smallwood concluded.