Page 22 - Terry Stoops News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Two bills sitting on Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk are designed to remediate learning losses for K-12 students left behind by classroom closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The first — House Bill 82, Summer Learning Choice for N.C. Families — would require all public school districts to offer a minimum of six weeks of in-person summer school this year. For K-8 students, the curriculum includes reading, math, science, and at least one enrichment activity — such as sports, music, or the arts. For high school students, the focus is on end-of-course subjects and one elective course. The bil...

It’s no surprise the number of homeschool families swelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the U.S. Census  Bureau has released new data showing just how significant that growth has been. Nationwide, the number of homeschoolers doubled in 2020. Between April 25 and May 5, 2020, the Census reported 5.4% of all U.S. households with school-age children were homeschooling. That leapt to 11.1% of households by fall. In North Carolina, the increase was from 5% to 9.4%. “It’s clear that in an unprecedented environment, families are seeking solutions that will reliably meet their health and...

On Monday, March 15, defendants in the long-running Leandro lawsuit, in consultation with plaintiffs in the case, submitted a document called the Comprehensive Remedial Plan to Superior Court Judge David Lee.  The plan was mandated in consent orders Lee issued in January 2020 and September. All parties in the case have agreed to the plan’s components.  Lee will next call a hearing for the case, although details haven’t been decided. Lee, the court-appointed overseer of the Leandro case, approved a plan Sept. 1, calling for millions more in education spending to meet North Carolina’s...

Even as a bill to reopen schools across North Carolina garnered unanimous bipartisan support and was fast-tracked through the legislature, North Carolina’s teacher’s union released a statement blasting Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and lawmakers from both political parties for the compromise. In a rare instance of bipartisan agreement, Cooper joined with both Republican and Democratic leaders in the N.C. House and Senate at a news conference Wednesday, March 10, to unveil a new school reopening plan for the entire state. Fewer than 24 hours later, Senate Bill 220 has won unanimous support fr...

Article updated at Thursday, March 11. to include Senate and House proceedings and governor’s signing. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican lawmakers have reached an agreement on reopening public schools for in-person instruction under a compromise plan that returns most decision-making autonomy to local school boards. The state Senate voted 49-0 to approve the measure after less than 10 minutes of debate. The House on Thursday, March 11, also passed the bill in a unanimous vote. Cooper signed it Thursday night. The new measure, Senate Bill 220, was a major victory for parents, student...