Reives Report | Taxpayer-Funded Voucher Scheme

Updates from September in the North Carolina General Assembly.

Hello,

This week the General Assembly voted to expand the taxpayer-funded voucher program. This is a massive transfer of public dollars into the pockets of wealthy families who are already able to foot the bill for private school education. Instead of expanding this plan, lawmakers should have invested in public schools which have to serve every North Carolinian regardless of race, gender, religion or disability. 

Leader Reives has consistently called out the expansion of the voucher program, especially noting the severe lack of accountability and oversight for taxpayer money.

Watch Leader Reives explain the taxpayer-funded voucher scheme in the video below:

You can see the income tiers of households receiving funding from the expansion. More than half of these applicants are from households with six-figure incomes. The screenshot from WUNC below includes commentary from Rep. Marvin Lucas, a former principal in Cumberland County.

Statewide Leaders Oppose Vouchers

Last week, Leader Reives joined with Governor Cooper, Leader Blue, Sen. Garrett and other Democratic leaders to discuss why the voucher expansion is wrong for North Carolina.

You can read an excerpt of his speech below:

North Carolina stands out on the national stage when we look at how other states have implemented similar programs. There is little, if any, oversight of how these public dollars are going to be spent and how these private schools are going to run. Testing requirements for private schools differ from our public schools. Teacher qualifications hardly exist. Nor does accreditation. Curricula is unstandardized. It is going to be very difficult to know whether students are getting a quality education, and if taxpayers are getting a return on their investment.

North Carolina used to have the best public schools in the nation. We have the opportunity to do it again, but we need legislators who believe in the promise of what a public education can be. It is a fundamental obligation of our state and the road we are going down with the potential for further expansion of the taxpayer-funded voucher scheme should truly give us pause as a state.

The image below, from this EdNC article, shows the distribution of private schools by county in our state. The vast majority are in just a handful of metro areas, particularly Raleigh and Charlotte.

Chatham County Opposition to Vouchers

Chatham County officials, including the Chatham County School Board and the Chatham Education Foundation, pushed back against expansion of the vouchers last summer. You can find the Chatham County Board of Education’s full resolution here.

New Member, Rep. Tracy Clark, Sworn In

This week, Leader Reives, assisted by Rep. Marcia Morey, administered the oath of office to the newest member of the North Carolina House Democratic Caucus. Rep. Tracy Clark (Guilford County) was officially seated in the General Assembly on Wednesday ahead of the voting session that afternoon. She replaces Deputy Leader Ashton Clemmons who resigned earlier this summer. 

National Voter Registration Day

With just a few weeks left in the 2024 campaign cycle, now is the time to ensure you are registered to vote. In Pittsboro, the Chatham Community Library is hosting a voter registration drive on National Voter Registration Day, Tuesday, September 17. The nonpartisan voter registration drive is in conjunction with the Chatham County Board of Elections.

And if you live outside of Chatham County, find all the information you need about voter registration in North Carolina here. 

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Robert’s Rules with 97.9 The Hill

From Chapelboro’s description of the episode:

North Carolina House Minority Leader and District 54 Representative Robert Reives spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Friday, August 30. He discussed his experience at the Democratic National Convention, and how all of the goodwill and energy seem to be translating to the campaign. He also discussed what comes next in the campaign in North Carolina as we get closer to the November election. He talked about a recent grant Siler City got from the state to expand some park and greenways in the town, and more.

🎧 Robert’s Rules: Rep. Robert Reives Discusses DNC, Campaign, and More

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Additional Articles 

WRAL: Kelly Alexander, longtime civil rights activist and state lawmaker from Charlotte, dies at 75

CBC Editorial: N.C. Legislature's pre-election voucher ploy reveals failed support for public schools

WRAL: Most NC adults don't support private school voucher expansion, new WRAL poll shows

Cardinal & Pine: Public education’s price tag: What North Carolina teachers pay to teach

Carolina Public Press: Expect delays ahead: DMV offices lack funding to fix long lines in NC cities

PortCityDaily: NC firefighter requests PFAS groundwater interim rules, DEQ accepting public comment

NC Newsline: Post-Roe health provider survey finds abortion bans create bad outcomes and distress

N&O: NC House overrides another bill, this time taking appointment power from the governor

Axios: What NC's absentee ballot delay will mean for voters

N&O:Few students play, but NC lawmakers keep paying for science game from company with GOP tie

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House District 54 includes all of Chatham County plus Liberty and Staley in Randolph County.