LouRae Holt | May 31, 2017 | SHARE: 
North Carolina parents discouraged by the lack of school choices available where they live may find relief in the coming years. A new partnership between Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) and Carolina Small Business Development Fund (CSBDF) was recently announced, and it could boost the number of public charter and private schools available statewide, particularly in rural counties. According to the new information released, “the partnership will create opportunities for new public charter and private schools to access capital, but will also ensure these schools have the necessary programs and protocols in place to open and operate successfully.”
Forty counties in North Carolina do not have a single public charter school, 11 counties have no private schools, and 16 counties have only one private school choice. This dearth of public charter and private schools available statewide is the driving force behind the partnership.
“Currently, too many families still do not have a meaningful choice,” noted PEFNC President Darrell Allison. “This partnership represents an incredible opportunity to increase the number of quality K-12 options available to families across our state. Improving educational outcomes, expanding access, and building school capacity are critical in making parental school choice a reality for all,” continues Allison.
CSBDF President Lenwood Long, Sr. echoed Allison’s excitement, “I’m excited for our organization to partner with PEFNC as we work to create greater economic and educational opportunity statewide… we’ve often said that small businesses are the economic engines of a healthy community. Schools illustrate this concept on a fundamental level: They provide the skills and know-how to start that engine in the first place.”
