Public Education Action Team

Public Education Action Team

Child loading on bus

The League of Women Voters (LWV) believes strongly that high quality public education for all children is necessary to sustain our democratic way of life and the economic health of our state and the people. Having studied education issues at the national, state, and local levels for many decades, the LWV concludes that adequate funding is essential to the ability of the state to provide and sustain such an education. Members interested in advocacy on behalf of public education are invited to join the LWVODC Public Education Action Team. 

Most of the public policy issues in public education are state-level issues, so we aim to nurture and expand our contacts with other LWVNC members. We also seek to develop and maintain contacts with our four local school districts -- three are county districts and one is a municipal district.

Team Leaders

  • Zena Alman, co-chair
  • Susan Weaver, co-chair
  • Mary Kolek, representative to LWVNC Public Education Action Team

Monthly Meetings

Except for holidays, the LWVODC Public Education Action Team meets monthly via Zoom on the first Monday of the month at 1:00 pm. Check the calendar for information.

What We Do

We bring together local public-school advocates by:

  • Meeting monthly to review, discuss, and plan actions in support of public education
  • Posting on social media and connecting with organizations that share our mission
  • Connecting with other LWV public education action teams in North Carolina

About Our Public School Districts/Systems

Most North Carolina public school districts are by county, but there are also a few municipal districts. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro District (CHCCS) is a municipal district within Orange and Durham Counties. 

  • Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) - The CHCCS Board of Education consists of seven members who serve staggered four-year terms. They are elected in November of odd-numbered years.
  • Chatham County Schools - The Chatham County Board of Education consists of five members who serve staggered four-year terms. They are elected by intra-county districts in November of even-numbered years.
  • Durham Public Schools - The Durham Board of Education consists of six members who serve  four years. They are elected during the primary election on even-numbered years (every other year); half the board is elected each time.
  • Orange County Schools - The Orange County Schools Board of Education includes seven members who serve four year terms.

NC Department of Public Instruction (DPI)

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is head of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and oversees public school systems.

NC DPI resources include:

  • Education Directory - The North Carolina Education Directory is made available by the Department of Public Instruction’s Communication and Information Services division as a service to educators and others interested in public education.
  • Highlights of the Public School Budget, March 2023 (PDF)  -  Presents charts and tables that describe how state and federal funds are distributed to North Carolina's Public Schools. 

Public School Advocates

To stay current with public education, which is a dynamically complex topic, we suggest members access information from organizations whose mission and expertise are public education issues, policies and research.

Public Education Positions

 The League takes the following policy positions related to public education.

LWVODC

LWVNC

  • Public Education - The League of Women Voters of North Carolina aims to promote quality public education for all students through the secondary level. The LWVNC supports the Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan priorities. The LWV opposes shifting public dollars from public schools to private and for-profit school entities.
  • Fiscal/Tax Policy (PDF) - The League of Women Voters of North Carolina believes that a state and local system of taxation should provide for adequate funding of needed services, be broad-based, and incorporate standards of equity, adequacy, collectability, economic effect, transparency, and consistency.

LWVUS

Federal Role in Public Education

Statement of Position on Federal Role in Public Education as announced by the national board in March 2012 (excerpted from Impact on Issues 2024-2026 (PDF), page 152): 

The League of Women Voters believes that the federal government shares with other levels of government the responsibility to provide an equitable, quality public education for all children from pre-K through grade 12. A quality public education is essential for a strong, viable, and sustainable democratic society and is a civil right. . . .

Fiscal Policy

Statement of Position on Fiscal Policy, as adopted by 1984 Convention and as announced by the national board, March 1985, January 1986, and June 1986 (excerpted from  Impact on Issues 2024-2026 (PDF), page 154):
 
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that federal fiscal policy should provide for adequate and flexible funding of federal government programs through an equitable tax system that is progressive overall and that relies primarily on a broad-based income tax; responsible deficit policies; and a federal role in providing mandatory, universal, old-age, survivors, disability, and health insurance. . . .