EDUCATION

Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders. One of North Carolina’s most
important responsibilities is to ensure that our children have the educational
resources they need to fulfill their potential. While we have made great
strides in improving our local school systems, North Carolina ranks only 25th
in the country in public education. I have a plan to help us do better.
Improvements in education don’t always come with increases in taxes. My
ideas cut waste and redirect funds to where they are needed most: good
teachers and rich learning environments for our children.

We’ve all seen gas prices skyrocket and, with oil over $130 a barrel, cutting
schools’ energy costs is crucial. Improvements such as passive solar
construction and cellulose insulation made from recycled paper are both
environmentally friendly steps toward lowering schools’ energy costs.
Lowering the heating bill can be as simple as incorporating south-facing
windows into new construction to let the sun heat our classrooms for free.
Comfortable classrooms are important, but every dollar wasted on inefficient
heating or cooling is one less dollar spent on books and supplies for our
children.

For the past two years severe drought conditions have threatened North
Carolina. Saving water has become an environmental necessity that can also
lighten the burden of our schools’ water bills. Replacing a normal flush urinal
with a waterless urinal can save a school 45,000 gallons of water a
year. Building new schools with all waterless urinals would save hundreds of
thousands of gallons per year while lowering stress on local water systems.
Further outfitting schools with rain cisterns would save schools the expense of
buying water for landscaping. The money-saving efficiency our district needs
begins long before a school opens for the first students. By commissioning
standard building plans for new schools, the State Board of Education could
cut building costs by about 20 percent and reduce construction time by
roughly 25 percent. With a statewide blueprint available, local school boards
could pay a small fee to the state to use the plans and save nearly all of the
money spent commissioning an architect.

Costs could lower statewide by incorporating these resource-conserving ideas
into a standardized plan for schools. Lower operating and building costs mean
fewer wasted taxes and lower bonds for us. All this while saving money so
our children can have the resources they need to brighten North Carolina's
Future.

On September 11, Bill picked up the endorsement of the North
Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE).

As someone who is firmly committed to making sure every child in North
Carolina has access to quality public education, Bill is proud to stand alongside the educators who are preparing tomorrow's leaders.

NCAE is the 14th largest affiliate of the National Association of Educators and has been serving the people of North Carolina since 1970. This coalition of teachers, administrators, students and other educators has long been a voice
in support of our public schools and our educational system, which has
consistently been one of the top issues of North Carolina. With a public school
system that has been on the rise with Jim Hunt, Mike Easley and Bev Perdue,
North Carolina is working towards becoming a national leader in public
education. This is in no small part a result of the dedicated service of North
Carolina's teachers and educators, and Bill is proud to stand alongside them.