Education Matters

A new report out by the Public School Forum spotlights stark gaps in school funding across the state. Guests: • Lauren Bock, Research Director, Public School Forum of NC • Aaron J. Beaulieu, Chief Financial Officer, Durham Public Schools • Rep. Kevin Corbin R-Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon • Dr. Eric Houck, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, UNC-Chapel Hill

A leading national expert discusses the push toward privatization in K-12 education and its impact on public education and society as a whole. Guest: Richard Kahlenberg, The Century Foundation

This week we focus on two key issues in school funding. We talk to school leaders about the impact of the K-3 class size mandate and a search for a solution. We then examine a new report that looks at overall school finance reform efforts for North Carolina. Guests: • Katherine Joyce, Executive Director, NC Association of School Administrators • Dr. Tim Markley, Superintendent, New Hanover County Schools • Kris Nordstrom, Policy Analyst, Education & Law Project, NC Justice Center

State Budget Director Charlie Perusse talks about Gov. Roy Cooper’s first budget and its focus on education investments in the first half of the show, followed by a discussion with key reporters who cover the ins and outs of education in North Carolina. Guests: • Charlie Perusse, State Budget Director, NC Office of State Budget & Management • Lynn Bonner, News & Observer • Mark Binker, WRAL News

This week we focus on principal preparation and development. Why is principal development important, what are we doing well, what else do we need to be doing and what are the gaps and challenges in North Carolina? Guests: • Lisa Stewart, Principal, Grays Creek High School, Cumberland County • Dr. Tom Williams, President, Strategic Educational Alliances • Dr. Bonnie Fusarelli, Director, Northeast Leadership Academy, NC State

All young people deal with their own unique sets of pressure and stress in their lives that just come from growing up, but certainly two groups of students today are feeling it acutely –children of immigrants and LGBT youth. This week we talk with experts on how these students are coping and what is being done to support them both in and out of school. Guests: • Eliazar Posada, Youth Coordinator, El Centro Hispano • Brenda Elliott, Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services, Wake County Public Schools • James Miller, Executive Director, LGBT Center of Raleigh • Bud Harrelson, Board Member, Safe Schools NC

The confirmation of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education has shined a spotlight on programs like NC’s Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides state funding for children to attend private, mostly religious, K-12 schools. This week we explore NC’s private school voucher program. Guests: • Jane Wettach, Clinical Professor of Law and Director, Children’s Law Clinic, Duke Law School • Matt Ellinwood, Director, Education & Law Project, NC Justice Center • Jessica Holmes, Education Law Attorney and Member, Wake County Board of Commissioners

You may think education is largely a local issue, but when it comes to the calendar, NC school districts have very little say in when their school year starts, ends or even how many teacher work days they can have. A diverse coalition of stakeholders is hoping to convince the General Assembly to let school systems decide what is best for its students. Guests: • Dr. Michael Dunsmore, Superintendent, Wayne County Schools • Dr. Terry Stoops, Director of Research and Education Studies, John Locke Foundation • Sarah Martin, Wake County Schools Parent • Julia Lovingood, Senior, Orange High School, Hillsborough

Teacher of the Year is a new documentary film that reveals the complex reality of teaching in the 21st century and explores the forces that influence a teacher’s performance for the competing needs of audiences made up of students, parents, administrators, other teachers, politicians, and the public at large. The subject and directors join us to talk about the project and to explore how Hollywood portrays teachers and the teaching profession. Guests: • Mary M. Dalton, Professor, Wake Forest University • Rob Phillips, Filmmaker, At Large Productions and NC English Teacher, 9-12 • Jay Korreck, Filmmaker and Chief Design Officer, At Large Productions and Constructive Learning Design • Angie Scioli, Social Studies Teacher, Leesville Road High School, Raleigh For sponsorship and screening inquiries, go to: teacheroftheyearfilm.com or email atlargep@gmail.com For more details on the conference where the film will premiere, visit http://college.wfu.edu/ttmconf/

Newly elected Governor Roy Cooper sits down with Education Matters host Keith Poston for the full half hour in a one-on-one discussion about key education issues facing North Carolina. The interview was taped before a live audiences at the 3rd Annual Eggs & Issues Breakfast hosted by the Public School Forum of North Carolina.

K-12 education is being transformed nationally and here in North Carolina, as schools move quickly to take advantage of improved internet connectivity and new digital tools to enhance learning. We’ll talk about the state of digital learning in North Carolina from those helping lead it and those implementing it in classrooms today. Guests: • Dr. Jeni Corn, Director of Evaluation Programs, Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State • Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin, Chief Academic & Digital Learning Officer, NC Department of Public Instruction • Andrew Livengood, Principal, Pine Hollow Middle School, Wake County • Harden Barker, 7th Grade Math Teacher, Pine Hollow Middle School, Wake County

HB 17 was passed in a surprise special session of the NC General Assembly in December. The bill, signed into law by former Gov. Pat McCrory, strips much of the power from the State Board of Education and gives it to the newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Republican Mark Johnson. The State Board claims the law is unconstitutional and has filed a lawsuit to overturn it. Guests: • Bill Cobey, Chairman, State Board of Education • Willis Whichard, Former Associate Justice, NC Supreme Court • Howard Lee, Former Chairman, State Board of Education

This week we hear from key voices from our public schools – school administrators and teachers. We discuss some of the key issues on the minds of both groups of educators and what they hope to see happen in 2017 in North Carolina. Guests: • Katherine Joyce, Executive Director, North Carolina Association of School Administrators • Dr. Rodney Shotwellm, Superintendent, Rockingham County Schools • Katharine Correll, Director, North Carolina Teacher Voice Network • Doug Price, Teacher, Voyager Academy, Durham, NC

We’ll examine the new report from the General Assembly’s Program Evaluation Division on how schools are funded today in North Carolina. Are big changes on the horizon? We talk to the study’s lead author, as well as the chairman of the House Committee on Education Appropriations and the top finance officer from Durham Public Schools. Guests: • Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union County, Chairman of the House Committee on Education Appropriations • Sean Hamel, Principal Program Evaluator, Program Evaluation Division, NC General Assembly • Aaron Beaulieu, Chief Financial Officer, Durham Public Schools

How does race affect student outcomes in North Carolina? Does race correlate with educational opportunity in ways that diminish the likelihood of success for students of color? We explore this week with three experts. Guests: • Donovan Livingston, Ph.D. Candidate and Asst. Director for Tutoring Services, UNC-Greensboro • James E. Ford, Program Director, Public School Forum of NC • Dr. Rodney Trice, Assistant Superintendent for Equity Affairs, Wake County Public School System

A new study out of Duke University has found the benefits of early childhood education are significant and last up through the fifth grade, contradicting earlier studies that suggested the benefits of pre-k may fade. We talk to the study’s author, as well as other experts about the state of early childhood education in North Carolina. Guests: • Dr. Kenneth Dodge, William McDougall Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, Founder, Center for Child and Family Policy. • Tracy Zimmerman, Executive Director, North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation • Cindy Watkins, President, NC Smart Start / North Carolina Partnership for Children

North Carolina’s average pay for principals ranks 50th out of all states and the District of Columbia. The NC General Assembly is expected to focus more attention on principals including pay next session. We talk to the experts including the NC Principal of the Year. Guests: • Melody Chalmers, 2016 NC Principal of the Year, E.E. Smith High School, Fayetteville • Dana King, Principal, Millbrook High School, Raleigh • Dr. Frank Till, Superintendent, Cumberland County Schools • Dr. Shirley Prince, Executive Director, NC Principals and Assistant Principals Association (NC PAPA)

With all the votes cast, what will Election 2016 mean for education policy in North Carolina? We explore with a panel of experts. Guests: • Rick Glazier, Executive Director, NC Justice Center • Dr. Terry Stoops, Director of Education Studies, John Locke Foundation • Mark Jewell, President, NC Association of Educators (NCAE) • Leanne Winner, Director, Governmental Relations, NC School Boards Association (NCSBA)

Three weeks after Hurricane Matthew devastated parts of Eastern NC with historic flooding, Robeson County students returned to class, the last school system to reopen. We visit Lumberton this week and talk with school leaders about the impact, response and what’s left to do. Guests: • Superintendent Tommy Lowry, Public Schools of Robeson County • Tara Bullard, Principal, West Lumberton Elementary • Ben Matthews, Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Operations, NC Department of Public Instruction • Liz Bell, Researcher/Reporter, Education NC

North Carolina’s poorest counties continue to fall further behind our wealthier counties in terms of resources available to their local schools. What is the impact and what we can do to ensure all schools have the resources they need to serve every child? Guests: • Dr. Patrick Miller, Superintendent, Greene County Schools • Ann McColl, Education Law Attorney, Everett Gaskins Hancock • Phillip Price, Chief Financial Officer, NC Department of Public Instruction