Education

More changes are coming in regard to how standardized tests are scored.

Union County's school board is accused of sneaking through a controversial redistricting vote.

Third-party election cash is flowing into North Carolina's U.S. Senate race.

Plus, breaking news on drones.

Greg, Lisa and Ben discuss all these issue on the latest edition of WFAE Talks.

North Carolina students will find it easier this year to pass the state’s standardized tests.  The state board of education decided yesterday to lower the score it would take to be deemed proficient. That means thousands of third-graders will no longer have to attend summer reading camps mandated by the new reading law.

WFAE’s Lisa Miller joins Morning Edition host Kevin Kniestedt in the studio. 

KK: Lisa, why did the state board decide to do this now?

The Union County school board approved a controversial redistricting Tuesday night to boos and hisses. The crowd was vocal, but not large since the vote came as a complete surprise. 

Union County’s school board, in a surprise vote, approved a controversial redistricting plan Tuesday night before a raucous, upset crowd.

The educational software and technology company Amplify announced it will issue 19,240 new tablets to Guilford County middle schools. The company says these tablets are durable and will feature "Gorilla Glass" screens and spill-resistant "rubber bumpers."

This is the company's second attempt to serve Guilford County Schools. The school district last fall leased 15,000 tablets as part of a $30 million federal Race To The Top grant. But one month into the program, more than 10 percent of Amplify tablets had cracked or broken screens. One student's tablet charger overheated and melted.

Two virtual charter schools run by for-profit companies are trying to open schools in North Carolina. These would be the first online charters in the state.  A group appointed by the state board of education to help recommend rules for these types of schools is wrapping its work up. They completed their discussions this week.

This is episode #7 in our new podcast venture. Greg, Lisa and Ben discuss the North Carolina Supreme Court race and county requests (35) for exemptions to the state's early voting requirements. They also discuss WFAE's election coverage plans and some of the edicts Greg has given staff. Lisa explains what's happening in Raleigh regarding a new pay system for teachers, and Ben gives an update in the coal ash debate.

North Carolina is trapped between two systems of paying teachers. One is based on experience.  In other words, the longer you work, the more you’re paid.  But the state is moving toward a system that rewards individual performance. 

As we head into spring, college juniors and seniors are paying significant attention to, for many, what’s AFTER high school. It’s the time of year when students are trying to figure out where they want to go to college and planning visits to the schools on their lists. Here in Charlotte, a huge college fair is about to happen where students can meet with representatives from more than a hundred colleges and universities. We’ll talk with two experts who are in the know to talk about what’s important for these students and their parents this spring and how to navigate the sometimes confusing college admissions process, when Charlotte Talks on 90.7 WFAE.

Transferring from community college to UNC system schools can be tough, especially since students are never quite sure which credits will transfer. A new agreement between the two systems will give students a better chance of receiving credit for their community college courses.