The General Assembly has officially approved the emergency learning scholarship program for affected families. We are now monitoring the disbursement process to ensure funds reach households as intended.
April 3, 2021
Tell the NCGA to save North Carolina's children! Provide emergency learning scholarships for families NOW.
Final supporters
This is a call for the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) to issue “emergency learning scholarships” to all families affected by public school shutdowns from Education First Alliance.
We ask that these funds be used to cover the cost of private schools, home school events, and could also be used for participating in micro-schools and pods, as well as therapy services for students with special needs.
North Carolina's largest school districts, Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg, have spent nearly 10 months have kept students as young as 5 in remote-only classes.
On January 14th, the Wake County School Board voted to keep students in remote-only classes until mid-February because of "cries" from employees and school administrators about returning to their classrooms. Before that, the Wake County School Board voted to keep students in remote-only classes because of "about 500 daily absences" and the school district's professed failure to be able to hire subs.
Similarly last week, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education voted Thursday to keep students virtual until at least Feb. 15 due to a just-in-time memo sent a by Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris that asked the School Board to "think very carefully about their situation." https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavir...
Reports show that remote learning is not an adequate substitute for in-person instruction:
- In Wake County, approximately a quarter of secondary students -- grades 6 through 12 -- had an F in one or more courses and approximately 8.8% of students have four or more absences: https://abc11.com/wake-county-schools-students-fai...
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools are experiencing similar failure rates as their schools refuse to open for in-person learning: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/more-c...
- Multiple reports show that virtual learning has exacerbated the existing divide between privileged children and those with fewer means: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-1....
The reality is that North Carolina's parents feel as though they are being held hostage by local school officials or by state-wide COVID circumstances.
We call on the NCGA to prioritize the needs of our youngest North Carolinians and their families, many of whom have been forced out of the economy due to forced homeschooling. We ask that block grant funds be used to issue “emergency learning scholarships” to all families affected to public school shutdowns.
Please sign below if you agree.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 17, 2021
January 16, 2021
The reach of this petition has hit a threshold that allows us to formally request a sit-down with key members of the education committee. Legal counsel is drafting the official policy proposal for the emergency learning scholarships to accompany our submission to the NCGA.
Reached 100 supporters
January 15, 2021
79 Comments
I have a child with ADHD who has a 504 plan and her principal told me that as long as she was in the classroom they could accommodate her plan but in this virtual learning environment there was nothing she could do.
As a CMS parent we are devastated by the endless closures which are causing lapses in education that may never be regained. The state must act on behalf of NC children.
Students and teachers who choose to go back should go back to in person learning. Teachers and students who don’t want to should do remote. All schools are open except CMS. Kids need to be in school. If schools won’t open, give $ back to parents so they can pay for private school, tutoring, or other alternative option. Thanks
This issue is close to our hearts. We have two children who suffered greatly in the last 10 months due to the lack of in person school. We have been forced to leave CMS for a private option that we cannot afford.
I have a high schooler on a 504 plan that is really struggling with sitting in her room staring at a chrome book all day long. We are being forced to look at private schools that are in person to meet her needs. This is very frustrating.
Please open our schools. Irreparable harm is being done to our children.
My child is struggling tremendously with online learning and failing all classes despite normally having good grades and only missing 2 questions in EOC exams.
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The General Assembly has officially approved the emergency learning scholarship program for affected families. We are now monitoring the disbursement process to ensure funds reach households as intended.
April 3, 2021
Tell the NCGA to save North Carolina's children! Provide emergency learning scholarships for families NOW.
Final supporters
This is a call for the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) to issue “emergency learning scholarships” to all families affected by public school shutdowns from Education First Alliance.
We ask that these funds be used to cover the cost of private schools, home school events, and could also be used for participating in micro-schools and pods, as well as therapy services for students with special needs.
North Carolina's largest school districts, Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg, have spent nearly 10 months have kept students as young as 5 in remote-only classes.
On January 14th, the Wake County School Board voted to keep students in remote-only classes until mid-February because of "cries" from employees and school administrators about returning to their classrooms. Before that, the Wake County School Board voted to keep students in remote-only classes because of "about 500 daily absences" and the school district's professed failure to be able to hire subs.
Similarly last week, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education voted Thursday to keep students virtual until at least Feb. 15 due to a just-in-time memo sent a by Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris that asked the School Board to "think very carefully about their situation." https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavir...
Reports show that remote learning is not an adequate substitute for in-person instruction:
- In Wake County, approximately a quarter of secondary students -- grades 6 through 12 -- had an F in one or more courses and approximately 8.8% of students have four or more absences: https://abc11.com/wake-county-schools-students-fai...
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools are experiencing similar failure rates as their schools refuse to open for in-person learning: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/education/more-c...
- Multiple reports show that virtual learning has exacerbated the existing divide between privileged children and those with fewer means: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-1....
The reality is that North Carolina's parents feel as though they are being held hostage by local school officials or by state-wide COVID circumstances.
We call on the NCGA to prioritize the needs of our youngest North Carolinians and their families, many of whom have been forced out of the economy due to forced homeschooling. We ask that block grant funds be used to issue “emergency learning scholarships” to all families affected to public school shutdowns.
Please sign below if you agree.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
January 17, 2021
January 16, 2021
The reach of this petition has hit a threshold that allows us to formally request a sit-down with key members of the education committee. Legal counsel is drafting the official policy proposal for the emergency learning scholarships to accompany our submission to the NCGA.
Reached 100 supporters
January 15, 2021
79 Comments
I have had to pull my son out of his 9th grade public school due to failing grades from not being engaged in his virtual school environment. There is no requirement for them to be engaged. He’s now repeating 8th grade at a private school over an hour away because it’s one we could possibly afford, and that’s a stretch!
I have a child with ADHD who has a 504 plan and her principal told me that as long as she was in the classroom they could accommodate her plan but in this virtual learning environment there was nothing she could do.
As a CMS parent we are devastated by the endless closures which are causing lapses in education that may never be regained. The state must act on behalf of NC children.
Students and teachers who choose to go back should go back to in person learning. Teachers and students who don’t want to should do remote. All schools are open except CMS. Kids need to be in school. If schools won’t open, give $ back to parents so they can pay for private school, tutoring, or other alternative option. Thanks
This issue is close to our hearts. We have two children who suffered greatly in the last 10 months due to the lack of in person school. We have been forced to leave CMS for a private option that we cannot afford.
I have a high schooler on a 504 plan that is really struggling with sitting in her room staring at a chrome book all day long. We are being forced to look at private schools that are in person to meet her needs. This is very frustrating.
Please open our schools. Irreparable harm is being done to our children.
My child is struggling tremendously with online learning and failing all classes despite normally having good grades and only missing 2 questions in EOC exams.
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I have had to pull my son out of his 9th grade public school due to failing grades from not being engaged in his virtual school environment. There is no requirement for them to be engaged. He’s now repeating 8th grade at a private school over an hour away because it’s one we could possibly afford, and that’s a stretch!