Current Challenge:
District 11 shows significant educational achievement gaps, with only 18% of Vance County adults having a two-year degree or higher. School funding remains inadequate despite recent teacher pay increases. Children in rural and under-resourced schools deserve the same opportunities as those in urban districts. Our teachers deserve better pay, and our parents deserve more flexibility.
Policy Solutions:
- Support legislation ensuring full constitutional funding for public schools while maintaining quality school choice options.
- Expand the NC Teaching Fellows Program.
- Advocate for wraparound services including mental health support, nutrition programs, and after-school care.
- Support universal pre-K expansion and community-based early childhood programs.
- Champion student debt relief and increased Pell Grant funding for families in District 11, where 86% of Black students take out loans compared to 68% of white students.
- Advocate for trauma-informed teacher and counselor-to-student ratio reforms.
- Support quality educational options while ensuring public school funding remains strong, recognizing that 64% of African-American voters support expanded Opportunity Scholarships.