August 2021

Yesterday, Governor Cooper signed S 654 – K-12 COVID-19 Provisions into law. S 654, now Session Law 2021-30, has numerous implications for charter operations during the 2021-22 school year. You can find the new law here.

Provisions in S 654

S 654 addresses school accountability provisions, operations, and instruction. For instance, the law allows public school units (PSUs) to provide planned virtual instruction in 2021-22. In addition, the law indicates that:

• The State Board of Education (SBE) will not calculate achievement, growth, and performance scores, or display growth designations, letter grades, and performance scores for 2021-22, based on 2020-21 data.
• SBE will not identify additional low-performing schools based on 2020-21 data.
• Schools may make day-to-day decisions about virtual instruction in 2021-22 for COVID emergencies, shifting to temporary virtual instruction if necessary. Schools must notify the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) within 72 hours of making the shift.
• School boards must vote at least once a month on mask requirements.

Planned virtual instruction

Of particular importance to charters: PSUs may now provide planned virtual instruction with consent from parents or guardians. Instruction must be consistent with virtual learning plans submitted to DPI by October 1, 2021. Specific guidance for charter leaders is coming soon from the Office of Charter Schools.

According to language in S 654, plans should provide the following information:

• Range of grades
• Type of virtual instruction (full-time or blended)
• Whether virtual instruction is offered as the primary means of instruction, a school within a school, or customized to students
• Number of students learning virtually
• Means for identifying students learning virtually, for performance and EVAAS tracking purposes
• Participation requirements, including eligibility and parent agreements
• Monitoring methods for enrollment, attendance, course tracking, and more
• Resources utilized by schools to provide virtual instruction
• Communication methods
• Staff roles and expectations
• Measures to ensure learning growth
• Infrastructure necessary to support virtual instruction
• Methods to ensure instruction is consistent with a student’s IEP or 504 plan
• Procedures impacting students at risk of academic failure

Read the language in full in PART IIIB. PLANNED VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION, SECTION 3B.(b) of the new law on pages 5 and 6. This authorization runs through June 30, 2022. After that date, authorization for virtual instruction must come from the NC General Assembly.

Read more about S 654 from EdNC.

H 729 – Charter School Omnibus

The Governor released this statement about his veto:

Do public charter schools drain money from public district schools? Charter opponents claim they do. However, a 2021 study shows this isn’t true. In fact, district schools often fare better when more students attend charter schools.

The 2021 study, commissioned by the Fordham Institute, looked at independent charter schools in 21 states, including North Carolina. Researchers evaluated “the relationship between the local market share of independent charter schools and the finances of host school districts” between 2000 and 2017. In most states, researchers found that:

… an increase in the percentage of students attending independent charter schools was associated with a significant increase in their host districts’:

• Total revenue per pupil

• Total spending per pupil

• Local revenue per pupil

• Per-pupil spending on support services

In North Carolina, charter growth was linked with an increase in districts’ total revenue, spending, and per-pupil spending on support services.

California, the state with more charter schools than any other

What about California, a state that has more charter schools than any other in the U.S.? A new analysis from The 74 Million reviews this study through the lens of a new California law targeting charter growth. The intention of this bill seems to be to limit charter growth. Yet, in California, the revenue of host districts increased as more students attended independent charter schools.

The analysis concludes:

… Expanding California’s charter sector is a win-win proposition. So yes, authorizers in the state should absolutely vet new charter applications – and hold existing schools accountable for their performance during the renewal process. But opponents of charter schools should stop perpetuating the myth that they threaten host district’s finances.

Do you ever wonder how much power parents have over education reform? The Center for Education Reform, a national advocacy organization, ranks the states each year through its Parent Power! Index. While there’s plenty of room for improvement, North Carolina stacks up pretty well in 2021, especially when it comes to public charter schools.

In CER’s 2021 ranking, North Carolina makes the top 10, coming in 8th overall. Here’s a look at how our state fares in key areas:

• Charter schools: NC earns a B (80%).
• Choice programs: NC earns a C (70%).
• Teacher quality: NC earns a C (76%).
• Innovation: NC earns a C (78%).

National rankings

Nationally, Florida is the only state to earn an A overall. Three states–Arizona, Indiana, and West Virginia–earn a B. North Carolina earns a C overall in parent power. Here’s the national map:

Source: Parent Power! Index, Center for Education Reform

Here’s the screenshot of the national ranking:

Source: Parent Power! Index, Center for Education Reform

But, take a look at the national map on charter schools. This shows up as an area of real strength for North Carolina.

Source: Parent Power! Index, Center for Education Reform

Learn more about CER’s Parent Power Index here. Find out more about CER’s data and methodology here.

A new survey from YouthTruth, a national nonprofit, reveals concerning impacts from the pandemic for American students. The survey, which queried more than 200,000 students in grades 3-12, found an uptick in mental health concerns and a downturn in college hopes.

About the survey

YouthTruth surveyed 153,475 students in grades 6-12 and 53,910 students in grades 3-5. Students attended 585 schools in 19 states. (North Carolina was not included.) Students submitted survey responses between January-May 2021.

Most students reported learning virtually in 2021.

• 14% attended school in person.
• 64% attended school virtually.
• 20% attended school in a hybrid environment.

Key findings–mental health

A number of challenges have made learning difficult for students. Here are the top three:

• 49% cited “feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious.”
• 38% cited “distractions at home and family responsibilities.”
• 27% cited “my health or the health of my family members.”

The percentage of students who report feeling depressed, stressed, or anxious has risen steadily, from 39% in Spring 2020 to 46% in Fall 2020 to 49% in Spring 2021. Students also perceive that adults at school are less accessible than they were before the pandemic.

Source: YouthTruth

Key findings–college hopes

More high school seniors say their plans are shifting as the pandemic continues.

• In Spring 2020, 18% said their plans were changing.
• A year later, in Spring 2021, 28% said their plans were changing.

Source: YouthTruth

What are seniors planning to do after graduation?

• 48% said they planned to attend a four-year college, down from 52% before COVID.
• 20% said they planned to attend a two-year college.
• 8% said they planned to work full-time.
• 10% said they were unsure.

Read a full report about the survey from the 74 here.

H.R. 4502 in the U.S. Senate

U.S. Senators Burr and Tillis and H.R. 4502 provisions

A new member joins the NC Charter Schools Advisory Board

Congratulations, Eric Sanchez!

Charter schools must opt in to receive funds

Learn more

A straight party-line vote

Vote on H.R. 4502 from the Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives

The two amendments offered by Republicans during consideration by the Rules Committee to reverse the CSP cut and to remove the Section 314 language were not allowed to come to a vote on the House floor. In addition, the final bill included an amendment calling for oversight of so-called for-profit charter schools. This amendment didn’t receive its own vote, but rather passed as part of a block of Democratic amendments.

Taking action

Timeline