NC to OK another summer for Governor's School
A summer program for gifted students in North Carolina will return after alumni and other donors stepped in with cash in the months since state lawmakers eliminated funding.
Posted — UpdatedThe state Board of Education on Thursday plans to let the state's public school agency decide the scope of this summer's North Carolina Governor's School.
School board chairman Bill Harrison says he expects a foundation or two to add another $200,000 within days to the slightly more than $500,000 collected so far. State schools Chief Financial Officer Philip Price says the extra money would provide five weeks on two college campuses for 500 students.
The Governor's School would operate for its 50th year of offering selected high school students a few weeks together working on language, math, music, science and other subjects.
The six-week residential summer program provides academic and arts courses for gifted high school students at Salem College in Winston-Salem and Meredith College in Raleigh.
More than 31,000 students have attended the Governor's School since it started in 1963.
Until last year, the program was free, but 2010 state budget cuts forced the school board to charge $500 last summer. Fundraisers and alumni say keeping the program free is essential because charging tuition would make it unavailable to many students who qualify.
Committee members said they plan to lobby legislators to restore state funding to Governor's School for 2013.
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