Old North News

In the Center for Education Reform's 2024 Parent Power Index, North Carolina secured the fifth position, with an Overall Parent Power Index Score of 82.5%.

The index, designed to assess the degree of parental power in each state, highlights key indicators such as Choice Programs, Charter Schools and Innovation. 

North Carolina scored an 82% in Choice Programs, which represents families' ability to access and choose programs that best fit their needs. 

The state's Charter Schools system, which is based on the availability of alternative educational options for students and families, scored an 82%.

In the final category of Innovation, scored on the state's dedication to fostering creative and personalized learning environments, North Carolina earned an 82%.

While Florida claims the top spot with a 93% overall score, states like Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina follow closely behind in the top rankings, emphasizing a national trend towards prioritizing parental involvement in education.

Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota round out the bottom of the list along with six other states that received a grade of ‘F’.

The Parent Power Index serves as a valuable resource for families across the country, offering insights into state-level educational policies and opportunities. 

Through the index's interactive map, parents can explore the status of parental empowerment in their state and discover avenues to advocate for greater involvement and choice in education.

"The story of the Tarheel state is that when lawmakers and advocates stick together and don't waver, they can succeed. It's a lesson that lagging states would do well to embrace if they are to boost parent power. The state legislature expanded a small but important opportunity scholarship program in 2023 despite an opposing governor, and expanded the ability of charter schools to thrive as well. Innovations across all sectors, traditional public included, have been rewarded and provide meaningful choices to parents making the state a top ten on the PPI," the Parent Power Index notes.

"Governor Roy Cooper is proving he is still the union’s number one man, as he started 2024 with a statewide tour to discredit the Opportunity Scholarships program by claiming it costs the traditional schools districts millions of dollars. Declaring a state emergency in 2023 to stop education freedom legislation by stating that public education was “having the life choked out of it” due to a legislature that was attempting to expand vouchers to more low-income families. This Governor is fundamentally anti-parent power and anti-education freedom," Parent Power Index said in its assessment of the state’s “Policy Environment.”