Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods, so purchasing separate flood insurance is crucial in North Carolina, especially in high-risk areas.

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods: How to protect your home in North Carolina

Princeville residents weigh options after Hurricane Matthew

Athens Drive Magnet High School and Conn Magnet Elementary School won national awards Saturday at the Magnet Schools of America's annual conference.

Top two magnet schools in the US are in Wake County

Athens Drive High School

All assets associated with the tag: WRAL education insider

WRAL education insider Coverage

The move comes as lawmakers are restricting discussion about gender identity and sexuality in schools.

YOU APPLY TO. SO BE SURE TO APPLY TO A SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS YOU WANT TO ATTEND. >> STATE EDUCATION OFFICIALS ARE REVISING THE STANDARDS FOR. ED, SOME LGBTQ ADVOCATES WANT THEM TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE, WRAL, EDUCATION, INSIDER AMALIE WALKING HORSE EXPLAINS. >> IT COMES AS LAWMAKERS ARE RESTRICTING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUALITY IN SCHOOLS. NORTH CAROLINA LAW REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO TEACH THAT MONOGAMOUS HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGES ARE THE SAFEST. SOME SAY THE STANDARD SHOULD BE MORE INCLUSIVE OF LGBTQ+, PEOPLE WERE LEAVING THEM OUT OF >> THE EDUCATIONAL SPHERE WITHOUT ARMING THEM WITH THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO HAVE RESPONSIBLE. NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO TEACH ABOUT ALL FDA APPROVED CONTRACEPTION OR BARRIERS TO INFECTION. >> AND EXPERTS CREDIT THAT EDUCATION WITH HELPING REDUCE INFECTIONS IN TEEN BIRTHS, ALONG WITH ACCESS TO THOSE TOOLS, EMILY WALKING HORST, WRAL NEWS, RALEIGH, YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT NORTH

NC revising sex education standards. LGBTQ+ advocates want them to be more inclusive

NC revising sex education standards, LGBTQ+ advocates want them to be more inclusive

Sexual education is the target of new laws in the state. More school systems are requiring students to have their parents' permission to take sexual education. WRAL Education Insider Emily Walkenhorst explains how the change could have public health ramifications.

OF THAT DRAMATIC VIDEO HERE SHORTLY. BACK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THAT STREET. THANK YOU, MARK EDUCATION IS THE TARGET OF SEVERAL NEW LAWS IN NORTH CAROLINA. MORE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRING STUDENTS TO HAVE THEIR PARENTS PERMISSION TO TAKE ED WRAL, EDUCATION INSIDER EMILY WALKING HORSE EXPLAINS WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN. >> COMING DOWN ALREADY IN TEH STATE EDUCATION AT THE ALICE, I COMPOST CENTER FOR HEALTH EDUCATION IN RALEIGH DOESN'T HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH AT FIRST TIME. OKAY. AND STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO PLAN MOUNTAIN CLIMBING TRIPS, COMMUNICATION IS KEY. FEEL FREE TO JUST YELL THINGS AT ME. THEN THERE HAS TO DECIDE WHAT THEY ACTUALLY VALUE IN BREAKS. IT ALL CONNECTS TO WHY THE STUDENTS ARE HERE TO LEARN ABOUT HEALTH. WHAT RISKS ARE THEY WILLING TO TAKE A K A NEW STATE LAW COULD TAKE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE OUT OF THESE KINDS OF CLASSES, AT LEAST ONE MAJOR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS RESPONDING TO THE SO-CALLED PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS BY REQUIRING PARENTAL PERMISSION FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE EDUCATION. THAT'S IN CHARLOTTE. EXPERTS PREDICT REQUIRING PERMISSION. WILLIE, TOO FEW ARE STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE EDUCATION. >> THEY HAVE A DELAYED ONSET OF ACTIVITY. RATE OF TEENAGE PREGNANCIES REDUCED AND ST I AM. RATES ARE REDUCED AS WELL WITHOUT ED, SOME STUDENTS WOULD HAVE TO LEARN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FROM THEIR PARENTS OR ON THEIR OWN. THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND THE INTERNET. >> A LOT OF TIMES INFORMATION IS AND PRESENTED ADEQUATELY ISN'T PRESENTED TOWARDS YOUTH OUT OF LAKE AUDIENCES. MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE KEEPING POLICIES THAT DON'T REQUIRE PARENTAL PERMISSION. SLIPS. THEY WILL STILL SEND HOME FORMS TO ALLOW FAMILIES TO OPT OUT. YOU'RE DOING RIGHT. EMILY WALKING HORSE TO WRAL NEWS. RALEIGH KNOW THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS UPDATING ITS SEC SET STANDARDS AND YOU CAN

The present and future of sex education in North Carolina

The school systems are stuck in the middle of a disagreement over how the money for extra educator pay was supposed to be used. Now, they could lose it and more.

'It's substantial.' 20 school systems could lose millions of dollars toward educator pay  

money generic, cash generic

Teachers emphasize that every letter has a sound or multiple sounds, and children must know them to combine them into words.

>> NUMBER ONE, SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS. THIS IS WRAL. >> COMING TO A SCHOOL NEAR YOU, A NEW EFFORT TO MAKE OUR CHILDREN BETTER READERS. THOUSANDS OF NORTH CAROLINA STUDENTS STRUGGLE WITH READING AND EXPERTS SAY IT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BAD HABITS, WR EDUCATION INSIDER EMILY WALKING HORST EXPLAINS WHAT'S CHANGING IN CLASSROOMS. >> DARA, DEAR, DEAR. ALL RIGHT. IN NORTH CAROLINA, CLASSROOMS TODAY, EVERY LETTER HAS A SOUND AND THE STUDENTS TAP EACH ONE OUT ONE THING OR AT A SHARE. WELL, IT'S PART OF A PHONICS FIRST APPROACH TO READING THAT'S ROLLING OUT ACROSS EVERY NORTH CAROLINA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH NEXT YEAR. STATE LEADERS CALL IT THE SCIENCE OF READING. THAT MEANS KIDS ARE LEARNING EVERY LETTER. EVERY SOUND AND EVERY WAY THEY CAN BE PUT TOGETHER. IT'S BEEN TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS BEFORE BUT NOT LIKE THIS. WHAT DOES THIS WORD? BUT IS THAT SET IN FRONT OF MY CLASS AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS TOGETHER AND LEARN TOGETHER. >> EACH YEAR ABOUT 2 IN 5 0RD GRADERS ARE MEETING STATE STANDARDS FOR READING 3, 5, 4TH GRADERS ARE MEETING FEDERAL STANDARDS IN READING. THAT WAS TRUE EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. WE KNEW. >> THAT. >> EVEN THEN THERE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO IF THEY GOT CAUGHT ON THE WORD, RED SCHOLAR JILL GRIFFIN, HAGAN SAYS TEACHERS ACROSS THE NATION HAVE BEEN SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON THE WRONG WAYS TO TEACH A CHILD TO READ. >> WHEN STUDENTS CAME ACROSS NEW WORDS IN A BOOK, THEIR TEACHERS TOO OFTEN WOULD PUSH THE STUDENTS TO GUESS THE WORD USING PICTURES OR OTHER CONTEXT CLUES THAT TEACHES ENTRY BY GUESSING INSTEAD OF SOUNDING OUT THE WORD PASSED, IT WASN'T ADDRESSING ALL THOSE CORE WORD READING SKILLS THAT CHILDREN NEED IN ORDER TO. >> THE PROFESSION READERS. TEACHERS SAY THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER. STACY REMEMBERS HER MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER ASKING HER CLASS WHY THEY COULDN'T SPELL. >> STRUGGLED WITH SPELLING AND LEARN TO READ BY MEMORIZING WORDS WHEN SHE BECAME A TEACHER THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR HER STUDENTS. SO MANY JUST COULDN'T READ. WELL, SHE BEGAN TEACHING RIGOROUS PHONICS AND HER STUDENTS TEST SCORES SHOT UP. SO I GET EMOTIONAL CASE >> BECAUSE OF WHAT SO MANY YEARS AND DIDN'T KNOW. WHY DID NOT SPELL EITHER TAUGHT MYSELF PRODUCTS THROUGH TEACHING OTHERS AND NOW IT'S LIKE IT'S BEEN THE KEY. ALL FINGERS TAPIRS READY. LET'S GO. >> IN RALEIGH, EMILY WALKING HORST WRAL, NEW YEAR TO YOU. FOR MORE ON THE CHANGES, NORTH CAROLINA IS MAKING AND HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN TO READ,

NC changing how students are taught to read

As gun violence rises, schools are still one of the safest places for children to be. But high-profile incidents involving guns on campuses are prompting school systems to investigate the best ways to beef up security.

AS WELL. DESTINY PATTERSON, WRAL, NEWS GARNER >> LET'S GO IN DEPTH TONIGHT ON SOMETHING THAT JUST WON'T GO AWAY. ANOTHER KID BROUGHT ANOTHER GUN TO ANOTHER SCHOOL TODAY. I DOUBT YOU'RE SURPRISED. WHY WOULD YOU BE? IT'S THE 13TH SCHOOL THIS MONTH, WHICH IS A BIG NUMBER FOR OUR SHORTEST MONTH. 13 GUNS AT 13 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? EVERYBODY IS CALLING ON ON SOMETHING TO BE DONE. BUT WHAT MORE RESOURCE OFFICERS, METAL DETECTORS, A MOAT AND DRAWBRIDGE AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS PEOPLE TRY JUST ABOUT ANYTHING JUST TO GET A PEACE OF MIND. BUT WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS. LET'S TAKE A MOMENT AND GO IN DEPTH. HERE'S WREL'S EDUCATION INSIDER. EMILY WALKING HORSE. >> MAKING SCHOOLS SAFE REQUIRES A VARIETY OF EXPERTS. THAT'S ACCORDING TO 5 DIFFERENT SCHOOL SAFETY EXPERTS. SCHOOL VIOLENCE CAN TAKE MANY DIFFERENT SHAPES AND HAVE MANY DIFFERENT CAUSES. ACCORDING TO SHEEN FOUND SHOE, A RESEARCHER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN LAW. THERE'S NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION. THAT'S WHY UM HAS TO SAY, OH, YOU SHOULD DO AND FORGET ABOUT THE OUTER METAL DETECTORS ARE RARELY USED IN SCHOOLS, BUT PARENTS AND OTHERS COMMONLY SUGGEST THEM AS A SOLUTION WHEN A WEAPON IS FOUND ON CAMPUS. BUT SECURITY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCHER CONNOR HEALY SAID METAL DETECTORS ARE AN IMPERFECT SOLUTION. HE SAID THEY WON'T STOP MASS SHOOTINGS AND THEY MAY NOT FIND EVERY WEAPON TO THE BEST CASE FROM. >> FOR METAL DETECTORS IN SCHOOLS IS THAT THEY WILL PREVENT STUDENTS FROM THE CEILING, A SMALLER WEAPON LIKE A HAND GUN OR KNIFE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BAD. FOR EXAMPLE, AND BRINGING THAT INTO SCHOOL. BUT EXPERTS AGREE AN SEVERAL POTENTIAL WAYS TO HELP MAKE SCHOOL SAFER. ANONYMOUS TIP LINES. >> TRAINING FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS ON RECOGNIZING SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR DOORS. THAT LOCK FROM THE INSIDE BULLYING PREVENTION, SAFE GUN STORAGE PRACTICES AT HOME AND MINIMIZING THE PUBLICITY OF THREATS AND SHOOTERS TO PREVENT COPYCATS, GUN VIOLENCE, RESEARCH OR JACLYN SCHILDKRAUT SAID TIP LINES ARE CRITICAL BUT TIPS HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED UP ON YOUR WANTED TO PREVENT THE NEXT YEAR. ALI, YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT. >> WHAT THE WARNING SIGNS ARE. YOU HAVE TO EMPOWER THEM TO REPORT. EXPERTS ALSO OFFER WORRIED PARENTS A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE. SAYING CURTAIN TO RECOGNIZE THAT. >> SCHOOLS COMPARED TO MOST OTHER PLACES ARE ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACE THAT YOU INTEND BE. >> EMILY WALKING WAS REPORTING THERE FOR SOME CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS TOPIC, AS YOU KNOW, FOR THESE IN-DEPTH SEGMENT, YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, WHAT YOUR OPINIONS ARE AND WE'LL START UNCOVERING THAT. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT. SO EMAIL ME, DAN AT WRAL DOT COM. TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS

Researchers dive into way to keep students safe at schools

Tip lines, door locks and detectors: What works, and what doesn't, in school safety, according to several experts

School generic with blurred students

Families and educators describe an under-resourced system and too few educators who are sufficiently trained or knowledgeable in how to work with students with certain disabilities.

A REFUND. >> MANY PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA SAY THEIR CHILDREN ARE NOT GETTING WHAT THEY NEED AT SCHOOL. >> DATA SHOWS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE SUSPENDED AT TWICE THE RATE OF OTHER STUDENTS AND THEIR TEST SCORES HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN. WRAL, EDUCATION INSIDE OR EMILY WALKING HORSE TO INTERVIEW PARENTS, TEACHERS AND OTHERS ABOUT THE CHANGES THEY'D LIKE OKAY. YEAH. FIRST SUSAN BOOK DESCRIBES HER SON'S 3RD GRADE YEAR AS A NIGHTMARE. >> EMPLOYEES DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CALM DOWN HER SON. EMERSON, WHO HAS AUTISM AND WAS HAVING MELTDOWNS AT SCHOOL. SO INSTEAD SHE PICKED HIM UP FROM SCHOOL DAY AFTER DAY. SHE THINKS HE MISSED AN ENTIRE SEMESTER OF SCHOOL THAT YEAR. I KNOW THAT HE WAS RESTRAINED. MANY TIMES BOOK SAYS SCHOOLS NEED MORE TRAINING AND MORE STAFF TO HELP STUDENTS LIKE EMERSON. HE'S DOING WELL NOW AND MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THE HELP OF A ONE-ON-ONE AIDE. >> THE SYSTEM IS THAT REALLY BUILT VERY IT'S UNDERFUNDED. >> STATE EDUCATION LEADERS ARE DRAWING UP A NEW WAY OF FUNDING SPECIAL EDUCATION BASED ON HOW SEVERE A STUDENT'S DISABILITY IS. IT HAS A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE IT'S APPROVED. SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING HAS BEEN KEPT FOR 30 YEARS. THAT MEANS SCHOOLS DON'T RECEIVE MONEY FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION PEOPLE LIKE BOOK ENGINEER ROBINSON HAVE LONG BEEN ASKING FOR A CHANGE. ROBINSON WANTS TO REVERSE HIGH SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER TURNOVER THAT SHE SAID HAS DISRUPTED SERVICES FOR HER SON JOSIAH WHO HAS AUTISM. TEACHER SHORTAGES HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY HIGH FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR DECADES. THE LATEST STATE REPORT FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR SHOWS SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE MORE THAN 600 SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER VACANCIES. THAT NUMBER IS EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT ONE IN 4 NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS JUST AREN'T KEPT EVERYTHING AND THE CHILDREN IS WHO'S HURTING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AFTER FALLING BEHIND AND BEING RESTRAINED. JOSIAH ENDED UP TRANSFERRING FROM HALIFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN DURHAM. >> AN HOUR AND A HALF BUS RIDE AWAY EVERY DAY FOR 3 YEARS. ROBINSON BROUGHT HIM BACK TO HALIFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS THIS YEAR SO THAT HE COULD BE AROUND MORE CHILDREN, HIS AGE HE'S MADE FRIENDS AND EVEN WENT TO A DANCE. BUT ROBINSON SAID HE ISN'T TOTALLY HAPPY. SHE SAID ONCE AGAIN, SOME OF HIS TEACHERS HAVE ALREADY QUIT. EMILY WALKING HORST, WRAL NEWS. STATE OFFICIALS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE AGREE TO A PLAN IN THE LONG-RUNNING LEANDRO EDUCATION LAWSUIT. >> THAT WOULD RAISE FUNDING AND LIFT THE CAP. THE PLAN IS IN LIMBO BECAUSE OF POLITICAL OPPOSITION. THE LAWSUIT SAYS NORTH CAROLINA ISN'T PROVIDING AN ADEQUATE EDUCATION FOR

Parents frustrated by limit to support for special education 

In 1993, North Carolina put a cap on how much it was willing to spend on students with disabilities. Three decades and a landmark lawsuit later, the cap is still there, leaving out thousands of students and tens of millions of dollars each year.

After 30 years of special education funding limits, NC parents want change

Susan Book and Emerson

WRAL News is closely monitoring school bus delays on the second day of school as the Wake County Public School System struggles with driver shortages.



12 Wake County school bus routes uncovered for 2nd day of school

School bus

Lawyers for students, school systems, lawmakers and policymakers are poised to debate a key point in a long-running public education case: Whether North Carolina's judicial branch of state government can order a specific policy and funding plan to fix deficiencies in public education.

In Leandro education case, a question lingers: Who has final say on funds and fixes? 

Northwest High School

The school board voted to raise bus driver pay Tuesday night, while acknowledging past pay raises haven't helped.

Wake school bus routes will be longer this fall as driver shortage worsens

Pay will go up again as the school system is still struggling to staff its hourly positions.

Wake school board raises pay for employees, approves more than $2B budget

Classroom generic

Teachers say the problem isn't the current licensure system -- it's the lack of money spent toward helping and compensating teachers.

NCAE clashes with proposed overhaul of teacher licensure, calls for 'necessary support and resources'

NCAE objects to new teacher licensure and pay plan

Leaders said Monday new teaching strategies are already working, per early test results.