[ad_1]
Public school advocates rallied in front of the General Assembly on Wednesday to lobby for more school funding and for restrictions on charter schools and private school vouchers.
Participants at a “wEDnesdays for Public Schools” protest organized by Public Schools First NC and the North Carolina PTA held up signs with messages such as “Keep Public Dollars in Public Schools” and “Schools Just Wanna Have Funds.” Protesters argued that traditional public schools are suffering at the expense of more taxpayer money being provided to charter schools and private schools.
“We are 50th in the country in our funding effort for investment in public education, and that’s abysmal and shameful,” Lynn Edmonds, outreach director for Public Schools First NC, said in an interview. “We need better teacher pay. We need more investment in classroom materials. We need more investment in public school funding.”
The groups plan to hold “wEDnesdays for Public Schools” rallies on the second Wednesday of the month on Feb. 11, March 11 and April 8. Wednesday’s protest drew around 15 people.
Hundreds of teachers called out of work on Jan. 7 to lobby for more school funding. NC Teachers in Action plans to hold monthly protests on Feb. 7, March 7 and April 7.
Public school priorities in 2026
Public Schools First NC promoted its top six legislative priorities of 2026:
- “Fully fund public schools to the national average or better using the Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan as a guide.”
- ”Stop the harmful diversion of public tax dollars from traditional public schools to voucher and charter schools; apply the same policies & regulations to all schools that receive public tax dollars.”
- “Repair the teacher pipeline by increasing teacher base pay and restoring and bolstering essential classroom, teacher, and student supports. Increase pay for all other school personnel.”
- “Promote student well-being and safety by creating safe and supportive learning environments for all students and teachers.”
- “Provide a healthy start for all children by ensuring access to universal free pre-K and school meals for every student.”
- “Reverse policies that unfairly and inequitably target public schools. “
Protesters pointed to how North Carolina ranks 43rd in the nation in average teacher pay, according to the National Education Association. The Education Law Center recently ranked North Carolina 50th nationally in state funding for schools.
North Carolina was the only state that didn’t pass a comprehensive budget in 2025, leaving funding largely at 2024 levels. This means teachers and other school employees didn’t get new pay raises at a time when state Health Plan costs are going up.
“We need to show that parents support our educators throughout North Carolina and our students,” Marie Dexter, president of the Wake County PTA Council, said in an interview. “We need the legislature to pass a budget so that we can pay our teachers properly, so our students are fully funded, so our buildings are maintained properly.”
How should NC provide school choice?
Several of the items on the Public Schools First list put it at odds with the priorities of the Republican-controlled state legislature.
Public Schools First wants the state to restore the cap on the number of charter schools allowed. The group also wants to put a moratorium on funding for school voucher programs such as the Opportunity Scholarship program.
GOP legislative leaders are fighting the Leandro plan, arguing that only the legislature and not the courts can order the spending of state money.
In addition to removing the cap, lawmakers eased the rules on charter school expansion. Legislators also sharply increased funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program and opened it up to families of all income levels.
“Public schools, it’s education for everybody. It’s education for all,” Dexter said. “We need that money in our schools to make sure that everyone has a proper education.”
Enrollment is continuing to rise in charter schools at a time when it’s dropping in traditional public schools. Enrollment is also rising in private schools. The majority of private school students now get a voucher.
“You know where you can find a lot of school choice that’s free,” said Edmonds, who is also a Wake County school board member. “That’s in the public school system.
“There’s a lot of choice within the public school system, and if parents want that, that’s where the General Assembly should be investing our tax dollars.”
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 3:05 PM.
[ad_2]
T. Keung Hui
Source link
