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school choice Archives - North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools

Dec 03
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Learn more about Linda McMahon, nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education

By News

On November 19, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Linda McMahon to serve as the next U.S. Secretary of Education. What is her professional background? Formerly the administrator of the Small Business Administration and a member of President Trump’s Cabinet during his first term, Ms. McMahon has co-chaired Trump’s transition team and served as board chair for the America First Policy Institute. Earlier, she co-founded World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and was a member of the Connecticut State Board of Education. She also served as a board trustee for Sacred Heart University and candidate for the U.S. Senate from Connecticut.

A North Carolina native, Ms. McMahon grew up in New Bern and graduated from East Carolina University. She lives in Connecticut.

Read more

  • Mebane Rash, the CEO and editor-in-chief of EdNC, has a new, in-depth profile out on Ms. McMahon. You can read it here.
  • Joshua Starr, a former school superintendent in Connecticut, has written an essay in Education Week about his experience of working with Ms. McMahon; read that here.
  • View the statement from President-elect Trump announcing Ms. McMahon’s nomination as U.S. Secretary of Education.

What will her priorities be if she is confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next Secretary of Education? Here is what President-elect Trump outlined in his announcement:

As Secretary of Education, Linda will fight tirelessly to expand “Choice” to every State in America, and empower parents to make the best Education decisions for their families.

… Linda will use her decades of Leadership experience, and deep understanding of both Education and Business, to empower the next Generation of American Students and Workers, and make America Number One in Education in the World. We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort.

This USA Today article shares additional insight on some of Ms. McMahon’s expected priorities. She has expressed support for charter school expansion, among other measures. Below, we share Ms. McMahon’s address to the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI.

Apr 23
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NBC News Analyzes Declining Public School Enrollment Nationwide

By News

NBC News has published a 10-year analysis of public school enrollment, showing public schools are losing K-12 market share across the nation. Between 2012-2022, for instance, public school enrollment dropped in every state except Delaware and Rhode Island, with the enrollment downturn occurring despite population growth. NBC ties the shift to the national proliferation of school choice programs and initiatives, including charter schools. However, NBC inaccurately and unfortunately positions charter schools as an “alternative” to “public schools.” In fact, charter schools are public schools. They are not private schools, so they are not part of education “privatization” efforts–and they are open to all students, just like district public schools.

Here are some key takeaways from NBC’s report:

Between 2012-2022, the share of children ages 5-17 attending public schools nationwide declined by nearly 4%, from 90.7% to 87%. Some states, including North Carolina, experienced much larger “public school” enrollment decreases during this 10-year timeframe. Here are the states experiencing the largest declines:

  • Kentucky: -7.73%
  • South Carolina: -7.35%
  • Alaska: -6.88%
  • Mississippi: -6.78%
  • Florida: -6.53%
  • Idaho: -6%
  • West Virginia: -5.75%
  • Montana: -5.72%
  • North Carolina: -5.64%
  • Alabama: -5.6%

North Carolina’s changing K-12 sector

NBC does not report enrollment trends in the one public schooling sector in North Carolina that has grown dramatically: public charter schools. Between 2012-2022, the same timeframe NBC News studied, N.C. public charter enrollment shot up 175%. More recently, between 2019-2022, public charter enrollment in North Carolina increased 19%, as the state’s Office of Charter Schools has noted.

A shift in what parents want in education

The report makes clear what other previous studies have affirmed, which is that parent preferences have changed–with education sectors outside district public schools scooping up K-12 market share, as we have noted before. Notably, however, parents are leaving public schools even in states without a robust school choice environment. For example, Kentucky, which has the largest share in the nation of students exiting public schools, does not provide families with publicly-funded school choice programs. Lawmakers have sought to create such opportunities, but legislation creating a way to fund charter schools was struck down in December; in addition, the state Supreme Court has ruled against education tax credits. Instead, parents are leaving Kentucky public schools for home or private schools, which account for around 15% of the state’s K-12 population, according to a 2022 report from EdChoice Kentucky.

NBC’s map of public school enrollment declines nationwide:

Read the full report on NBC News.