School choice plays growing role in Charlotte's education scene, panel says

Ann Doss Helms:

School choice plays a growing role in the quest to educate all students in the Charlotte region, speakers told more than 100 people gathered Saturday for a forum on the future of public education.

In the past, public education was synonymous with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Superintendent Heath Morrison was one of the speakers at the session organized by Staying Ahead Carolina, a social networking group. But he was joined by Eddie Goodall of the N.C. Public Charter Schools Association and state Rep. Rob Bryan, R-Mecklenburg, co-sponsor of the state's Opportunity Scholarship Act, which will provide income-based vouchers to pay private school tuition starting in 2014.

All of them, along with Bill Anderson of the nonprofit advocacy group MeckEd, agreed that families want high-quality choices for their children. But they voiced different views on the benefits and drawbacks of North Carolina's options.

"Parents like choice. That shows up on every survey, across the state and across the country," Morrison said. "We have to make sure that there's quality as well as quantity."

"Parents like choice. That shows up on every survey, across the state and across the country," Morrison said. "We have to make sure that there's quality as well as quantity."

Staying Ahead Carolina, a nonpartisan group that has previously focused on noneducation issues such as arts and health, convened the forum at UNC Charlotte Center City to talk about choices, challenges and changes in public education.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at November 10, 2013 2:16 AM
Subscribe to this site via RSS/Atom: Newsletter signup | Send us your ideas