North Carolina survey: Parents want more school choices

NC choices especially help African-American males

Unlike Kentucky, North Carolina already has some great school choice options for low-income students including a charter school system. Thanks to those options, that state now has evidence that especially for African-American males, schools of choice are proving far more successful at overcoming significant achievement gaps faced by these students of color.

Hear Dr. Terry Stoops discuss the North Carolina choice results, including those for African-American males, by clicking here.

If your time is limited, move the audio time slider to 5 minutes and 40 seconds into the broadcast to hear how North Carolina’s schools of choice, including charters and even district-provided choice options, are doing a better job for African-American boys.

To be sure, the achievement gaps remain a major issue in Kentucky, as we have frequently pointed out at the Bluegrass Institute, including a series of reports on Blacks Falling Through Gaps in Louisville (read the 2016 edition of this series here).

The situation is so bad that even education folks at the Prichard Committee now admit this is a serious problem in the Bluegrass State.

Clearly, Kentucky is very tardy in addressing the achievement gaps here. At this point, more delay in taking positive action such as is happening in North Carolina is simply unacceptable. Those who continue to stand in the way of choice options in the Bluegrass State need to either face up to the problem or stand aside so others more interested in better results can take over.