McCrory’s school plan good first step

At a time when teachers and schools are stretched thin, it’s nice to see our governor thinking outside of the box in an effort to strengthen public education.

Gov. Pat McCrory recently proposed a plan in which teachers and schools would compete for $30 million in extra money during the next two years.

The proposal is for an Education Innovation Fund that would distribute grants to schools that show changes that improve student instruction, the Associated Press reported.

McCrory has proposed redirecting approximately $26 million of North Carolina’s Race to the Top money into the proposal.

An additional $4 million in state money was set aside in the state budget, the AP reported.

The money would be a small step, especially considering the funding cuts and other challenges that public schools have faced during recent years.

The AP reported that public school spending is about $23 million higher in the state’s new budget than it was a year ago.

However, the legislation states that public schools will receive about $117 million less than they would have if legislators didn’t change anything and accounted for inflation and increased enrollment, the AP reported.

Our public education system affects our state and our communities in a number of ways, including economic development. Companies look at the public education system when deciding whether to expand or locate their businesses in the state.

More funding isn’t the only solution to strengthening our schools, but it certainly helps. We need to continue to look for creative ways to boost public education and public schools funding in North Carolina.