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North Carolina Creates a Charter School-Run District

The governor’s office on Tuesday announced a number of recent bill signings by Gov. Pat McCrory, including a statewide district for five low-performing schools that is meant to improve student proficiency.

The governor’s office on Tuesday announced a number of recent bill signings by Gov. Pat McCrory, including a statewide district for five low-performing schools that is meant to improve student proficiency.

 

House Bill 1080 establishes the new district for schools that will be turned over to charter school management companies and overseen by a superintendent chosen by the state Board of Education. The five schools will be selected from a pool of struggling schools.

 

The law requires that charter operators who want to work in the district must show they know what they're doing and that they have a plan for “dramatically improving student achievement.” Legislators who supported the plan said North Carolina’s program would have more safeguards than neighboring Tennessee, where a similar district has not improved student performance after three years.

 

The bill passed both chambers on split votes.

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's senior web editor.
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