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Program brings necessary support for North Carolina students
RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, in partnership with legislators and representatives from public charter schools in the Triangle, NorthCarolinaCAN: The North Carolina Campaign For Achievement Now, publicly supported House Bill 644, a proposal to establish a Charter School Transportation Grant program.
“This bill is about equity,” said Marcus Brandon, executive director of NorthCarolinaCAN. “No student, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how much money they have, should be denied a high-quality education because they can’t get to school. To ensure all families have access to a high-quality education, we must give all schools the resources they need to get children to school.”
Alex Quigley, the Managing Director of PAVE Schools, including PAVE Southeast Raleigh, added the following statement:
“We spend a very significant amount of money on transportation because it is a priority for us to get kids, regardless of income, from across Raleigh and Wake county to our school. This bill will allow for many more success stories at public charter schools across the state that are closing the achievement gap for low-income students.”
The proposed grant program would create a $2.5 million fund, administered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, from which charter schools could apply for reimbursement of up to 65 percent of their transportation costs each semester. To qualify, charters would demonstrate that at least 50 percent of their students qualify for federal free or reduced lunch programs.
The primary sponsors of the bill also spoke at the event. Rep. Jon Hardister (R, Guilford) spoke to HB644’s focus on socioeconomic equity.
“This bill will help provide low-income families with increased access to public charter schools. It is important for all students to have access to a quality education, regardless of their economic status.”
Rep. Cecil Brockman (D, Guilford), co-sponsor of the bill, said the following:
“Every child in our state deserves access to a quality education. Yet transportation can be a barrier for some of our low-income families. This bill will help ensure that students who are most in need are not kept out of a public charter school just because of transportation.”
For more information or interviews with Marcus Brandon, contact Alec Macaulay at alec.macaulay@carolinacan.org or 919-907-0917.
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NorthCarolinaCAN empowers, mobilizes and collaborates with everyday North Carolinians to advocate for a high-quality education system. We use research and communications, grassroots organizing, and high-level government relations to ensure North Carolina’s schools are excellent for every student.