A new Carolina Journal article by Barry Smith takes a look back at the numerous education reform initiatives that were discussed during the recent legislative short session.

“Ultimately, what we’ve got to be looking at is what’s best for our students and what’s best for our parents,” Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said of legislative reform efforts.

Several of Berger’s reforms did become law: a reading program that identifies and then helps children with reading deficiencies (kindergarten – third grade); students not reading at a third grade level will be retained; new report card method assigns schools a letter grade to help parents see how the school is performing; and a proposal to allow school systems to add five instructional days or provide instruction for at least 1,025 hours over nine calendar months.

The article also discusses the tax credit scholarship measure which would have helped low-income students attend a private school of their choice through scholarships funded by tax credits for businesses.

PEFNC President Darrell Allison said there was not enough time in the short session to get the measure passed. “Time ran out,” he said. “We think we’ve laid the groundwork for a really strong approach for 2013.”

Allison said that by and large, the traditional public school model works for most children, but not for all. He said the bill would put measures in place to address academic accountability.

“We don’t just want another choice option,” Allison shared. “We want a quality option.”

Read the full article by clicking here.