Category Archives: Authors

The Actual Graduation Rate In NC Isn’t 85.8%

Posted on September 2, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

North Carolina Superintendent June Atkinson was recently cited in a WRAL article about the state’s graduation rate.

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina released its latest public school performance data Thursday, showing the state’s graduation rate and school grades improved last year.

he state’s graduation rate increased slightly, from 85.6 percent in 2014-15 to 85.8 percent last school year. This marks the 11th consecutive year that the rate has improved. In 2005-06, the state’s graduation rate was 68.3 percent.

“If I could do a back flip about the graduation rate, I would do that,” State Superintendent June Atkinson told reporters Thursday. (WRAL, 9/1/16)

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI) also put out a press release touting the increase in graduation rates.

As this site has previously pointed out, this rate is not the actual graduation rate when one factors in the now famous “career and college readiness” that Common Core was alleged to bring. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION, EXCLUSIVE, June Atkinson, NC DPI | 6 Comments

Texas AG Files Amicus Asking for Hold on North Carolina #HB2 Suit

Posted on September 2, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an Amicus brief on August 31st in asking for the courts to put the House Bill 2 (HB2) suit on hold.

Texas is joined by 10 other state attorneys general and two governors in the filing. The Amicus specifically asks U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Schroeder to put the U.S. Justice Department’s current challenge to HB2 on hold while other related cases move forward. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION, LEGAL, LGBTQ Issues, YWBMTC | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Texas AG Files Amicus Asking for Hold on North Carolina #HB2 Suit

NC Media Outlets Ledes on Recent #HB2 Ruling Mislead Citizens

Posted on August 29, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

Here’s a challenge for the reader: Name a news outlet in North Carolina (and beyond) that didn’t have a misleading lede on the recent House Bill 2 (HB2) ruling by Judge Schroeder.

I saw about ten headlines on Friday after Judge Schroeder’s ruling that implied that HB2’s facility privacy section had been blocked statewide.

No, it’s not. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), LGBTQ Issues, Media Bias, NCGA, YWBMTC | Tagged , | 2 Comments

NC Dept. Of Public Instruction Touts 4th Year of Powerschool, Ignores Failings

Posted on August 26, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction sent out a press release yesterday, hailing the success of Powerschool, which captures student data and information statewide.

The press release also didn’t mention Powerschool’s failings.

These failings include a $7 million dollar maintenance rate, hundreds of ‘slow connectivity incidents’, missing deliverables and suspect payments to ‘contractors’. Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EXCLUSIVE, June Atkinson, NC DPI | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Wake School Board Race Will Use 2011 Maps; 4 Incumbents Run Unopposed

Posted on August 26, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

In August, Judge James Dever III ruled that the 2011 maps would have to be used for the 2016 election, however this was an ‘interim’ remedy. Dever’s order leaves room for legislators to take another whack at redistricting when they return to the General Assembly.

As a result of Dever’s ruling, all nine school board seats will be on the ballot in November, however now four are running unopposed. Each of those elected will serve two-year terms and this election is by plurality, meaning there will be no run-off races.

SEE WHO IS RUNNING… FIND YOUR DISTRICT Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), Campaign 2016, ELECTIONS, LEGAL, Voting, Wake County School Board | Tagged , | 1 Comment

WRAL Report On Edgecombe Teacher Turnover Doesn’t Include Supplemental Pay Figures

Posted on August 26, 2016 by A.P. Dillon

A lengthy, well-written and detailed article at WRAL which covers the high teacher turnover rate in Edgecombe county mentions supplemental pay, but doesn’t give the figures.

These figures are important to understand why some counties might have higher turnover rates than others.

Here’s Edgecombe’s number of teachers (which also is the same number claiming the supplemental pay) and the average supplemental rates for the last five years: Continue reading →

Posted in A.P. Dillon (LL1885), EDUCATION | Tagged | Comments Off on WRAL Report On Edgecombe Teacher Turnover Doesn’t Include Supplemental Pay Figures