February 1, 2025

[1]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org
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A Federal Assault on Public Schools and State/Local Control

Among the barrage of executive orders from the new administration came two
on Wednesday that are direct assaults on public schools. While both
executive orders seem designed to push legal boundaries and are unlikely to
have an immediate funding effect, as they work through the legal system,
they will undoubtedly cause confusion/chaos and may inflict massive damage
to our students and communities.

[7]Expanding Educational Freedom directs federal agencies to develop
guidance on how states can use federal funds to support K-12 educational
choices. The order specifically emphasizes directing funds to support
options such as private and faith-based options. This order ignores the
overwhelming rejection of voucher programs (private school choice) by
voters, most recently in [8]Kentucky, Nebraska, and Colorado as well as in
[9]ALL prior efforts.

This executive order takes a wrecking ball to state jurisdiction over
education. Many states explicitly prohibit the use of public dollars for
private education. For example, the South Carolina Constitution
([10]Article XI, Section 4) states that “No money shall be paid from public
funds nor shall the credit of the State or any of its political
subdivisions be used for the direct benefit of any religious or other
private educational institution.”

By directing funding toward faith-based schools, the order also directly
challenges the U.S. Constitution’s separation of church and state. Although
the scope of the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses
has been widely debated, this new executive order goes beyond previous
efforts to secure funding for religious schools.

The department secretaries charged with developing new funding guidance per
“Expanding Educational Freedom” include the Secretary of Education,
Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of
Defense, and the Secretary of the Interior. All agencies under their
direction manage discretionary grant programs and/or provide for education
directly through agency-run schools such as the highly acclaimed Department
of Defense schools, which operate across the globe.

For most agencies, the order states a 60 or 90 day window in which this new
guidance is to be developed. Legal challenges may delay and/or derail this
order.

The other order signed on Wednesday “[11]Ending Radical Indoctrination in
K-12 Schooling” challenges [12]current federal law that explicitly
prohibits the federal government from exercising “any direction,
supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction,
administration, or personnel of educational institution, school, or school
system…”

The executive order does exactly what federal law prohibits. It requires an
examination of K-12 curriculum and instruction programs as well as K-12,
teacher certification, licensing, employment, and training programs. Within
90 days, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Defense, and the
Secretary of Health and Human Services must present plans for eliminating
federal funding, including grants or contracts that directly or indirectly
support the ideas found objectionable (e.g., gender or equity ideology).

In its clear violation of federal law, this order will also face legal
challenges.

In North Carolina, curriculum decisions are made at the district and school
level. While the state does establish the North Carolina Standard Course of
Study, which outlines content standards for each grade, the state does not
dictate which curriculum educators use to meet the content standards

As the new administration seeks ways to cut unnecessary spending, ending
the practice of issuing legally flawed executive orders should top the
list. Funds spent on crafting and defending these orders could be spent
much more productively in the interest of supporting public schools and the
hundreds of other programs designed to improve American lives.

NAEP (Student) and PIAAC (Adult) Score Trends

The National Center for Ed. Statistics released National Assessment of
Educational Progress ([13]NAEP) results this week. As news outlets across
the country reported, the news isn’t good. The nation’s average reading
scores in grades 4 & 8 declined from 2022, were essentially the same in
2022 and 2024 for grade 8 math and increased in 2024 for grade 4 math.

These score drops were largely driven by students in the lower half of the
achievement range. In 2024, students in the upper half of the achievement
range in math scored significantly better than their counterparts in 2022.
In reading, there was no significant difference, except in grade 4 reading,
where scores were lower.

The [14]picture for North Carolina is better than for the nation. Reading
scores were statistically the same in 2022 and 2024. Our 2024 math scores
were statistically higher in grade 4 and statistically the same as 2022 in
grade 8.

However, these results should be viewed in the larger context of NAEP
scores over time.

Scores started dropping well before the pandemic. In North Carolina, math
score trends show this clearly. In both grades, high scores were in the
years 2011-13, with steady declines in the years after, and sharp drops in
2022, the first testing year after the pandemic.

This trend is seen across the US and many other countries. In [15]Testing
Theories of Why: Four Keys to Interpreting US Student Achievement Trends,
Nat Malkus (American Enterprise Institute) analyzes longitudinal data from
21 nationally representative assessments, including international
assessments (e.g., PISA, TIMMS). He found that test scores were nearly all
at their highest in the years between 2012-15.

He also notes that scores for the Program for the International Assessment
of Adult Competencies ([16]PIAAC) an international test of adult literacy,
numeracy, and adaptive problem solving shared similar declines. (Adaptive
problem solving was introduced in 2023, so no year-year comparison is
available.) In the U.S., adult numeracy and literacy scores were
significantly lower in 2023 than in previous years.

Across all tests, he found clear trends:
* Test score declines were driven by the bottom half of the distribution,
both pre-and post-pandemic. In other words, test takers in the bottom half
of test scores are performing worse over time.
* The gap between high and low achievers is growing, and it’s growing
more in the U.S. than any other nation. This is the academic equivalent of
“In the U.S., the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting
poorer.”

Malkus proposes a few possible explanations, but notes that none can fully
explain the trends. Much more work is needed to understand what is causing
the score declines, especially for test-takers in the bottom half of the
distribution.
* National Crises: The Great Recession and the Pandemic. The onset of
score declines doesn’t align with the onset of the Great Recession, and it
is not clear why these crises would have impacted adults as well as
students.
* Education Policy Changes: The End of No Child Left Behind and the Rise
of the Common Core. These changes don’t explain the international trends or
adult trends since both focused on U.S. K-12 education.
* Cultural Changes: The Rise of Screens and the Fall of Reading. Screen
usage surged starting in 2012 and has had a documented negative impact on
time spent reading and in other academic pursuits for both children and
adults.

Malkus concludes by stating that the potential explanations “...are all
viable, but not satisfying, theories, but such theories must be examined
critically because they will inform how schools, families, and communities
respond to score declines. Accordingly, until these patterns no longer
hold, policymakers, educators, and communities should test their theories
for test score declines —those seen here and in future waves of test
results—against these four critical factors."
* Downward trend starting in 2013
* Declines driven by the bottom half of the distribution
* Higher absolute achievement gap growth in the US than any other nation
* Similarity of declines for U.S. students and adults

We should keep these factors in mind when seeking to understand what's
causing NAEP and other test score declines.

February is Black History Month!

As we begin Black History Month 2025, North Carolina celebrates our newly
elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mo Green. The child of two
educators, Green has spent his career improving educational opportunities
for students throughout the state, Green is the leader North Carolina
needs. He is one of many Black leaders who have made tremendous
contributions to our state; we are grateful to have him in charge of our
public education system.

On February 27, Green will join Public Schools First NC for a discussion of
education issues facing North Carolina and his vision for the future. Join
us! There will be time for Q & A with participants. [17]REGISTER HERE

Legislative and SBE Updates

The North Carolina General Assembly returned to Raleigh on January 29 and
will reconvene on Monday, February 3. Keep an eye on their [18]calendar for
updates and streaming information.

Check our [19]Week in Review for updates on education-related bills.

The State Board of Education will meet February 5 and 6 for their monthly
meeting. ([20]Agenda and [21]Livestream)

Bad Bill Alert!

On Friday, a number of senators, including both N.C. senators, introduced a
bill that would provide $10 billion in annual tax credits to fund private
and religious schools.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, [22]Senate Bill 292
"Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) would establish "a new tax
credit for individuals and corporations who make charitable contributions
to organizations that give scholarships – or vouchers – for students to
attend private schools. Currently, vouchers overwhelmingly support wealthy
parents who are already sending their children to private school. ECCA
will, in effect, redirect federal funding away from other, crucial
government services, towards wealthy individuals and families."

Tax credit vouchers are simply another way to drain resources from the
public and funnel them to private interests.

Contact Senators [23]Ted Budd and [24]Thom Tillis to urge them to remove
their sponsorship of this harmful bill!

In Case You Missed It

[25]NC needs a different school funding model and help for teachers,
advocates, lawmakers say

[26]NC students score at or above average on national assessment, but
pandemic gaps persist

[27]NC Superintendent Mo Green talks about school funding, cellphones in
the classroom, and listening

[28]Teaching Fellows build their numbers

[29]Our Taxes, Their Slush Fund: How a cyber charter school spends
Pennsylvanians' tax dollars on dining, hotels, travel, entertainment, and
more

Did You Know?

North Carolina is home to 481,044 rural students, the second largest rural
student population in the U.S., after Texas!

Eighty of North Carolina's counties are rural and approximately 42 percent
of schools in the state are rural, with more than one in three students
attending school in a rural district.

Learn more about our rural schools; Read our [30]NEW RURAL SCHOOLS FACT
SHEET!

Rural Texans and Vouchers

WORTH YOUR TIME!

A recent episode of the podcast "[31]Have You Heard" with Jennifer
Berkshire and Jack Schneider titled These Conservative Texans Oppose School
Vouchers is a deep dive into the fierce battle waging in Texas over school
vouchers.

From the podcast description: Vouchers are not conservative. That’s what
we heard again and again when we talked to Texans who consider themselves
Republicans but oppose their party’s top education priority. We hear from
rural Texans who are taking the attacks on their local schools very
personally, and business minded Republicans who fear the consequences of
privatizing education for workforce development.

[32]Listen Here

Don't Miss Our Webinar!

February 6, 7 p.m. The Cost of Disruption

Join us for a timely conversation with scholars Dr. Rachel White
(University of Texas at Austin) and Dr. Rebecca Jacobsen (Michigan State
University).

We will review the research of Dr. White, co-author of a new study, “The
Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflict on
Public Schools in the United States,” and Dr. Jacobsen, co-author of the
forthcoming “The Politics of Disruption.” Their work details how the
politics of disruption are costing public schools and how the disruption is
negatively impacting school boards and eroding community trust.

There will be time for Q & A. to prepare for the discussion, read the
report, [33]The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive
Conflict on Public Schools in the United States.

[34]REGISTER HERE

February 27, 7 p.m. A Conversation with Mo Green, NC Superintendent of
Public Instruction

Join NC PTA and Public Schools First NC for the first in our series of
interviews with new public education leaders. Mo Green was elected in
November, 2024 to serve as the next NC Superintendent of Public
Instruction. We will talk to Superintendent Green about his vision for the
Dept. of Public Instruction. Q & A with the audience if time allows.

[35]REGISTER HERE

Advocate During Love Month!

[36]Love Our Children NC has been working tirelessly on ending exclusionary
discipline in New Hanover County. During February (LOVE MONTH), they are
seeking support from across the state and especially from residents of New
Hanover County to help them advocate for a change to the county's
short-term suspension policy:

Principals shall contact K-2 parents before a suspension determination is
made.

They have lots of ideas of how you can help:
* Send an official letter (or email) of support to the New Hanover County
Board of Education at [email protected]. Copy them on it.
* Make a 30 to 60 second video of support for social media. Tag Love Our
Children on your video.

Email them for more ideas: [email protected]

Virtual Office Hours with the NCPTA and Public Schools First NC

Join us (NCPTA, PSFNC) monthly during the legislative session for updates
on bills, policy or budget changes, etc. that impact public education.
Bring your questions and suggestions; participate in the conversation to
support our public schools.

Office hours will be held via Zoom on Thursdays from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. on
the following dates:
* February 20
* March 20
* April 17
* May 15
* June 19

[37]JOIN HERE

Mark Your Calendar!

Multiple Dates, 7:00-8:30 pm: Resilience and ACES. Learn about Adverse
Childhood Experiences (ACES) and resilience. Join us for this
award-winning, 60-minute film, Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The
Science of Hope. This documentary examines how abuse, neglect, and other
adverse childhood experiences affect children’s development & health
outcomes in adulthood. This powerful movie is a conversation starter and a
perspective changer.

[38]REGISTER HERE

All screenings are on Thursday and include time for discussion. Invite a
friend and contact us about setting up a private screening for your school
staff, PTA, civic group, church, or synagogue.
* February 26
* March 27
* April 24

Words to Remember

“In public schools, students have numerous constitutional rights, including
equal protection, due process, free speech, and both free exercise of
religion and freedom from religion. None of these constitutional
protections apply in private schools.”

— The School Voucher Illusion, p. 81

Help us support public schools!

Public Schools First NC is a statewide nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit
focused solely

on pre-K to 12 public education issues. We collaborate with parents,
teachers, business and civic leaders, and communities across North Carolina
to advocate for one unified system of public education that prepares each
child for productive citizenship.

[39]DONATE HERE

[40]www.publicschoolsfirstnc.org

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]

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