North Carolina Overrides Perdue Veto, Pro-Life Bill Becomes Law
by Steven Ertelt | Charlotte, NC | LifeNews.com | 7/28/11 12:50 PM
Aug 16 2011 | Posted in News | Read More »
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August, 2011
Living in the “Liberal” fog…a letter from a ‘drive by’ liberal listener….
Dear Mr. Wright, I rarely listen to talk radio but I happened to hear you speaking today as I was driving across town on an errand (thanks to scan mode on the radio). It was interesting to hear your perspective on current issues because they are somewhat different from mine. Like you, I am not [...]
The Wizard of Oz
I was born and raised in an area of New York City called Ozone Park. Local residents referred to it, as OZ (oh zee). OZ was not an Emerald City nor did it have a yellow brick road leading to it. It was in fact, a blue-collar community of mostly patriotic people. OZ, unlike Oz, [...]
Measureable Benefit
New Hanover County commissioners met this afternoon in a workshop designed to spur conversation about developing some sort of economic benefit we as the tax payers get from our investment in public/private companies. We as tax payers give around $300,000 to various companies in hopes of getting a return on our investment in the shape [...]
Teaching Fellows: A Closer Look
Recently the News & Observer ran a story and an editorial taking issue with my comments recommending the elimination of the Teaching Fellows program. This article is a response to the Thursday, August 4 th News & Observer editorial N&O editors make a weak case for why North Carolina taxpayers should continue to fund the Teaching Fellows program. They ridicule Republican arguments as merely “guilt by association” and think conservatives are put off by any teacher who will “band together with co-workers to seek better pay, better working conditions, and more support for the public school enterprise.” In glossing over important distinctions, editors conveniently create a straw man argument to be readily dismissed. My opposition to taxpayer support of the Teaching Fellows program is based on the program’s relationship with the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), the quality of teacher professional development programs and the lack of jobs for current teaching graduates. N&O editors pooh-pooh the curious links between NCAE and the Teaching Fellows program. The links are numerous. JoAnn Norris, former director of political activities at NCAE, is now Executive Director of Public School Forum, the entity that administers the Teaching Fellows program. Sheri Strickland, NCAE President, also sits on the board of the Public School Forum. In addition, Teaching Fellows program guidelines allow American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and NCAE members to be on the local and regional screening committee for teaching fellow candidates. The editors also ignore important facts. NCAE is the state arm of the National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor organization in the United States. If you join NCAE, you must also join NEA. What is troubling about the connection between NCAE, NEA and the Teaching Fellows? Let’s look at some numbers. In 2008, NEA tallied $56.3 million in political contributions – more than Wal-Mart, Microsoft and Exxon combined. Those contributions included $1.8 million for Bev Perdue’s campaign as well as $1.7 million in Perdue campaign ads. NEA is a labor union concerned about power, not the education of children. If you think NEA is concerned about raising student achievement, think again. Former NEA General Counsel Bob Chanin made perfectly clear what NEA’s main priorities were when he said the goals of closing the achievement gap, reducing the dropout rate and improving teacher quality “need not — and must not — be achieved at the expense of due process, employee rights and collective bargaining… It is simply too high a price to pay.” [1] As the major teacher association in North Carolina, NCAE stands to gain heavily by its ability to select and influence Teaching Fellows recipients. And if NCAE and NEA are committed to developing the best teachers and offering quality professional development, why don’t the organizations dig into their deep pockets to pick up the tab for this professional development program instead of forcing taxpayers to finance it? After all, “professional improvement of its members” is listed as the organization’s number one objective in the NCAE constitution . Rather than spending more than $3 million on North Carolina’s gubernatorial race, the NEA and NCAE could have financed a substantial number of Teaching Fellows themselves. How teacher development is conducted in North Carolina offers another reason why the Teaching Fellows program should be eliminated from the state budget. For starters, there are a lot of offerings. If you are a teacher, aside from private professional organizations, you can access professional development offerings through the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, the North Carolina Teacher Academy or the UNC Center for School Leadership and Development. Programs include: While it is true some organizations and offerings have been scaled back or eliminated, they are still extensive. The Office of Professional Development within the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction offers training materials and courses in professional standards, course development (LEARN NC), and online teacher training courses. In addition to its own programs, the DPI Professional Development site is also linked with numerous state or federally-sponsored teacher and educator professional organizations, each of which also includes a professional development component. Examples of such organizations include the North Central Regional Education Laboratory and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. In addition to the Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) offers professional development opportunities in common core standards, seminars for beginning teachers, classes for teacher and principal scholars as well as courses for those interested in obtaining National Board Certification. The North Carolina Teacher Academy (NCTA) offered local professional development opportunities to school systems and individual schools. Funding for NCTA was not included in the new state budget. In addition, the UNC Center for School Leadership Development was created to allow public schools to access the resources of the UNC. The Center offers an extensive listing of professional development courses for educators, administrators and other school leaders. A cursory review of the goals and offerings of these four organizations reveals overlap and duplication. However, along with these concerns there is also controversy. Up until two years ago, DPI received about $12 million in professional development funds for teachers. The loss of funding was a casualty of the economy. However, other controversies surrounding NCCAT and NCTA certainly didn’t help. NCCAT, which has a staff of 100 on two campuses, has been dogged by concerns over extravagant spending, questionable course offerings and lavish facilities. Meanwhile, two years ago, NCTA found itself in hot water for charging $10,000 for literacy coach training sessions. For an extended discussion of these concerns see: Finding Savings in Obscure Places of the Education Budget. Editors say the Teaching Fellows program shouldn’t be eliminated because it is working. They point to the fact that 60 percent of participants who began teaching twenty years ago are still teaching in North Carolina schools. To say that twenty years later 60 percent of Teaching Fellows are still in the field is a weak endorsement of the program; it fails to say anything specific about the program’s benefits. There are thousands of Teaching Fellows in schools throughout North Carolina. However, why is there so little evidence of the program’s impact? Why do only 66 percent of state students pass both math and reading End-of-Grade tests? Why have fourth grade and eighth grade reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed a pattern of general decline from 2002 to 2009? Why do nearly two-thirds of graduates entering community colleges have to take basic algebra, English composition or other basic courses because they didn’t learn it well enough the first time around in high school? If the Teaching Fellows program produces better teachers, twenty-five years and thousands of graduates should make noticeable impacts Still, there are other questions. Why is Public School Forum paid $810,000 annually in taxpayer money to “administer” the program? For a staff of six people and 2,000 students, the numbers seem excessive. At a time when educators are losing jobs and programs eliminated, can the Teaching Fellows program continue to afford to send students on lengthy “enrichment” trips to places like Australia? No programs, no matter how noble or well intentioned, exist in a vacuum. The reality is Teaching Fellows graduates have been entering a miserable job market for several years. Two years ago, The News & Observer ran a story on the difficulty of Teaching Fellows graduates are experiencing in finding jobs. According to the Department of Public Instruction, less than half (49 percent) of the graduates from UNC education schools have teaching jobs within one year of graduating. Yes, there is a greater demand for teachers in math and science. However, a quick review of certification areas for recent Teaching Fellows graduates show only about 10 to 15 percent of graduates have certification in math, science or both. That means about 85 percent of Teaching Fellow graduates can join the thousands of other graduates looking for teaching jobs in a shrinking job market. With so many unemployed teachers, now hardly seems like a sensible time to finance a program designed in part to “boost the quantity” of the state’s teacher corps, as the N&O puts it. We all want good teachers. Encouraging teachers to enter the field and worthwhile professional development are two tasks that can help accomplish that goal. However, professional development, while important, is best provided by private companies and trade associations. Recent controversies show what can happen when an essentially private function is taken over by state government. The Teaching Fellows program, no matter how well intentioned, provides no reason why taxpayers should continue to fund a program whose benefits are not apparent and whose many graduates will likely join the ranks of those who won’t be able to find jobs. [1] See: NEA General Counsel: Union Dues, Not Education, Are Our Top Priority, The Foundry blog, July 9, 2009, available at: http://blog.heritage.org/2009/07/09/nea-general-counsel-union-dues-not-education-are-our-top-priority/
Aug 15 2011 | Posted in News | Read More »
The Separation of Gay Church and State
I’d like to say that it ‘isn’t easy being me.” But actually it is. The campus left keeps handing me more material to write about in my weekly…
Debt Downgrade – Is North Carolina Next?
The recent Standard & Poor’s downgrade of federal debt instruments sent waves of fear across indebted government agencies across the nation. Just days after the federal downgrade, S&P issued downgrades for thousands of municipal and other local bonds, including a series of bonds held by the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina. Fortunately, the state of North Carolina’s prized AAA bond rating has not been downgraded – yet. According to the 2011 Debt Affordability Study produced by the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer, North Carolina appears to be on a collision course with a debt downgrade of its own. The culprit? A decade-long commitment by state lawmakers to intentionally deny North Carolina taxpayers any voice over the issuance of new state debt. Article V, section 3 (1) of the North Carolina state constitution explicitly states the General Assembly must first seek voter approval for “debts secured by a pledge of the faith and credit of the State.” This traditional method of public finance typically results in “general obligation” (GO) bonds. Not content to first gain voter approval for their spending sprees, however, state legislators exploited the phrase “secured by a pledge of the faith and credit of the State” to develop “special indebtedness” instruments, most notably a funding mechanism known as Certificates of Participation (COPs). COPs are debt instruments “secured” by the value of the asset being financed – typically a new building. Thus, COPs technically are not required to receive voter approval. Unsurprisingly, the ability to circumvent voter approval and skirt any accountability for debt spending drew many elected officials to this new instrument. The State has relied exclusively on “special indebtedness” since 2000, meaning that a growing share of total outstanding state debt consists of non-voter approved debt. Since abandoning the bond referenda process in 2000 in favor of COPs, state debt has predictably exploded. Per capita state debt has more than doubled. Annual debt service payments on the debt have tripled. Moreover, the state has authorized, but not yet issued, another $1.6 billion in debt (as of June 30, 2010). What has been the impact of the spending binge? In short, North Carolina’s General Assembly maxed out the state’s credit card. Both the 2010 and 2011 Debt Affordability studies concluded that the state has “substantially exhausted” its capacity to issue new debt without threatening its debt rating. And the legislative leadership from 2000 to 2010 ran up this tab without even asking permission of those who will pay the bill – us. Furthermore, the Debt Affordability studies suggest that the exclusive use of “special indebtedness” over the last decade could very well lead to a debt downgrade for North Carolina. They conclude that “including all authorized but unissued debt, the percentage of non-GO debt is projected to increase well beyond the medians for ‘triple A’ states and exceed the median for ‘double A’ states as well.” In other words, because of the exclusive reliance on special indebtedness over the last decade, North Carolina could be facing a debt downgrade in the near future. Despite the warnings, legislators seem hooked on COPs. Legislation ( HB 491 ) to require voter approval on Certificates of Participation was introduced this past session, but the bill only made it to the House Finance Committee where it was replaced with an unrelated committee substitute. Recent polling shows that an overwhelming 77 percent of voters believe that the North Carolina General Assembly should not be allowed to borrow money without voter approval. In spite of such massive public opposition, state lawmakers have issued billions in new debt over the last decade without one penny of it being approved by voters. For years, fiscal conservatives in the state have been warning that the reckless, unchecked debt spending binge embarked upon by elected officials in Raleigh would have negative repercussions. But they didn’t listen. New leadership in the General Assembly this year, however, at least offered a glimmer of hope for a more fiscally prudent legislature going forward. SB 464, The Debt Reduction Act of 2011, cancelled $232 million of yet-to-be-issued debt approved during the previous three sessions. That’s not an insignificant step, and definitely one in the right direction. There has been much finger-pointing in Washington lately, with politicians playing the blame-game over the federal debt downgrade. If North Carolina faces a similar downgrade in the near future, there will be little doubt where the blame lies.
Democrats & Republicans: National Party Platforms on Specific Biblical Issues
Created by Justice at the Gate A national party platform is a document produced every four years by the representatives of a political party during its national convention to nominate a presidential candidate. The platform declares to the public that party’s vision, beliefs, and values, and its legislative plan and policy positions on important issues of the day. A position set forth in a platform is called a “plank,” and platforms today are made of dozens of planks. This booklet contains the positions of the two major political parties on four subjects of interest to voters of faith: prayer in schools, abortion, homosexuality, and school choice that includes opportunities for faith-based education. The following excerpts – taken directly from their platforms – can help citizens of faith make informed decisions about their personal involvement in and voting for a political party. To continue reading click here . Share on Facebook
Aug 11 2011 | Posted in News | Read More »
North Carolina House Overrides Perdue Veto of Pro-Life Bill
by Steven Ertelt | Charlotte, NC | LifeNews.com The informed consent bill provides that a booklet containing scientifically accurate information about risks, alternatives and information on the development of the unborn child, compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services, be offered to the mother at least 24 hours prior to an abortion so that she might have the opportunity to read and understand the information. It also provides that an ultrasound image of the unborn child be displayed at least four hours prior to an abortion so that the mother might view it. To read more click here Share on Facebook
Aug 10 2011 | Posted in News | Read More »
Graduation rates and ABC results —– hunting for good news
The big news from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is mixed: North Carolina’s graduation rate is improving; however fewer schools are meeting or exceeding academic growth standards. Last week DPI released results showing the four-year graduation rate climbing to 77.7 percent, the highest ever. The graduation rate was as low as 68.3 percent in 2005-06. The improvement merits congrats but also recognition that a horrible job market probably kept many students in school who –in better economic times — would otherwise have dropped out. DPI also released results from the annual ABC tests. Unfortunately, the news wasn’t good: only 81 percent of schools met or exceeded academic growth standards, down from last year when 88 percent of schools met expected standards. The numbers though disappointing weren’t a total surprise. The higher performance standards under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) made this year’s tests a tougher hurdle. The major question now is how states, schools and lawmakers will respond when it has become clear student progress is not meeting NCLB goals. Congress has a lot of other things on its mind and is in no hurry to reauthorize NCLB. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan is saying the Department will grant states performance waivers to exempt them from the obligations of failing to meet standards established under NCLB. …Ten years later we sit amid the ruins of another failed federal education experiment…. Access DPI press release , graduation data and complete ABC Results .
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