Saving North Carolina’s Public Education System
How to Stop Those Who Would Betray the State’s Children and Future
As part of its work on public education in America, Civic Way is taking a closer look at one state—North Carolina. This is the 13th essay in Civic Way’s series on North Carolina’s primary and secondary education system (see the last essay). The author, Bob Melville, is the founder of Civic Way, a nonprofit dedicated to good government, and a management consultant with over 45 years of experience improving public agencies.
An investment in education always pays the highest returns.
– Benjamin Franklin
Strategies for Reforming North Carolina’s Public Education System (cont.)
We have outlined the major deficiencies of North Carolina’s K-12 public education system and the most critical threats to its long-term viability. In the essays that follow, we have presented an agenda with several public education reform strategies for the consideration of all North Carolinians.
To ensure a sound education for all—the state’s constitutional duty—North Carolinians must work together. Not one party, but both. State and local leaders. Not just metro areas, but small rural towns and counties. A diverse state with divergent views must overcome its differences to build a public education system for everyone.
1. Improve Public School Funding and Equity.
North Carolina must increase its investment in public education, but by how much? Should we increase funding in accord with the Leandro settlement plan? [One group estimated that North Carolina would have to increase its 2020 funding by $3,700 per pupil or about $5.6 billion.[i]] Should we try to increase our standing among other states (e.g., leap to the top ten in funding)?
The ultimate price tag will depend on the quality of system we want, and the taxes the people of North Carolina are willing to pay.
Whatever we do, we should align our public education investment with the new statewide reform plan. The new plan should include cost estimates so that the NCGA and Governor can determine the extent to which tax increases might be necessary. And, if such revenue increases are required, we must formulate a tax package that most citizens will support[ii].
The state should replace the outmoded school funding model with a community-based funding model. For example, consistent with the rebranding of LEAs as community anchors, DPI could modify the model so that community factors drive at least 50 percent of state funding. In addition, the funding should be driven more by school-aged children needs (e.g., income, mobility, ESL and disability). This would have the effect of funding LEAs for the total needs of school-aged children in their respective communities rather than just the students attending public schools.
The new funding model should merge the 30 allotments into broader categories and give LEAs more discretion to shift unused funds to ensure that local needs (like block grants). It should weigh the equity factor more heavily (e.g., increase the funding differential for poor communities to at least ten percent).
It also should account for annual cost increases and LEA disparities (e.g., low-wealth LEA costs, small LEA costs and regional cost differences). It should incorporate a ten-year funding cycle (the same funding horizon used for the OS voucher program) to give LEAs more funding predictability. DPI should develop new metrics to monitor the new funding model’s effectiveness (e.g., distribution equity).
Some funding issues fall outside of the foundation formula. The state should reexamine its supplemental grants for targeted initiatives. Initiatives worthy of consideration include instructional innovation, civic education and volunteerism, universal free school meals and school safety. DPI also should explore funding programs for helping LEAs meet local needs. One option would be a state bond program or revolving fund to upgrade public school facilities for shared community needs.
2. Fully Prepare Children for Kindergarten.
One of the most cost-effective ways to improve our public education system is to invest in a comprehensive public childcare and early childhood education system. Ensuring that our three- and four-year olds are fully prepared for Kindergarten will reduce demands on our K-12 system, reduce the need for remedial instruction and improve overall student achievement.
North Carolina leaders recognize the need for a better childcare system. The Governor has proposed $1.5 billion in state funds for childcare and early childhood education. Legislators have introduced several bills to improve childcare, including $300 million in added funds. The North Carolina Chamber and Charlotte Regional Business Alliance have called for more funding.
Consistent with our prior essays on childcare reform, North Carolina should establish a comprehensive childcare and early childhood education system for children aged 0-5. The effort should begin with a thorough assessment and forecast of the state’s childcare needs by age, type and county (or region), and federal childcare programs (e.g., Head Start and Early Head Start). It should also entail an analysis of leading state childcare programs and a profile of best practices.
State leaders will have to determine the best strategy for implementing a new childcare system. There are at least two paths—incremental and de novo.
The incremental approach could involve expanding existing programs like Smart Start and NC Pre-K. This effort could begin with increasing reimbursement rates. Other options include providing startup incentives for new Smart Start partners, launching a year-round childcare program for at-risk three- and four-year-olds or creating a universal full-day pre-kindergarten program for four-year-olds.
A more comprehensive approach might encompass a universal public childcare and early childhood education system, one that would serve all children from infancy. One that would ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn the skills they will need to succeed in kindergarten and the grades that follow. Whether it would be more feasible to build this system de novo or on the foundation of the current programs requires more analysis.
The implementation approach will likely dictate the optimal organizational strategies. For example, the structures, capabilities and relationships of current childcare entities, such as the state’s Division of Child Development and Early Education and the North Carolina Partnership for Children, should be explored. The state’s ability to track childcare needs and trends, and support local service centers, should be examined and, if necessary, strengthened. The local partnerships could be the foundation for an expanded statewide network of childcare and early childhood education services.
In this essay, we urge the state to increase its investment in public childcare, early childhood, elementary and secondary education. In the essays that follow, we will offer other strategies that could be part of an ambitious public education reform initiative.