Opposition to HB 219, Charter School Omnibus, is mounting. We need all supporters to take action as we work for fair funding for public charter school students.
To that end, we have a new video about HB 219 for you to share with your friends and networks. Many thanks to Jamila Lindsay, a parent at Lake Norman Charter School, for providing the voice recording, and to Brian Jodice for putting the video together.
The video is just 42 seconds–please watch and pass it on!
Why is it so important to take action?
Groups such as the NC School Boards Association and the NC Association of School Administrators are mobilizing strong opposition to HB 219. District leaders have said this bill will cost school districts millions of dollars. See a YouTube video from Dr. Jeff James, the superintendent of Iredell Statesville Schools, in which he says HB 219 will cost his district $12 million. HB 219 could be called, “Let’s defund public education,” he says.
The Board of Education for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has said HB 219 could cost the district over $17 million. (The school district’s 2022-23 operating budget is $1.8 billion.) Read a summary about CMS opposition in the EduGram newsletter.
The reality, however, is that HB 219 seeks to ensure public charter school students receive an equal share of the money they would receive if they attended a district school. Public charter school students in North Carolina receive 37% less local funding, on average, than public district school students. (Source: BEST NC)
What steps can you take?
Spread the word about HB 219! Share the Coalition’s video above. Reach out to your House or Senate member to share your views. Find out who represents you in the General Assembly by using this link. Lawmakers are back in their Raleigh offices today, so please reach out to them this week to share your views. If you hear back from your legislators, please pass responses on to Lindalyn Kakadelis at lkakadelis@nc.chartercoalition.org.
In addition, you can share your own messages about HB 219 with stakeholders. Coalition member Juli Gardner, the director of school operations at Community School of Davidson, has created her own video explaining HB 219. Watch it here.
Resources to help with HB 219 advocacy:
- Talking points about HB 219’s local funding provisions
- Infographic on HB 219
- A template letter or email you can send to your legislator
- Presentation on HB 219from Matthew Tilley, the Coalition’s counsel
