Of the many necessary cuts the state had to make, Governor’s School was particularly painful for the program’s patrons. Last week, House Speaker Thom Tillis opened a promising window for the program to return to its state-funded model sooner rather than later. His statement, although by no means a guarantee, is welcome support for a program that makes substantial contributions to the education of our state’s youth.
Tillis’ comments should be echoed by his fellow Raleigh legislators and acted upon when the time comes.
Tillis made his comment in the face of large initial strides to raise private funds, indicating the extent of the public’s support for the program. Those funds have gone toward helping one of the program’s two campuses remain open this summer, even with $500 tuition.
While the cuts in last year’s budget were necessary given the economic climate, they should not be seen as acceptable, even if the school continues to function off the state’s books.
It is a shame budget cuts have closed off the Governor’s School experience to only those North Carolinians who can pay for it. To make acceptance entirely merit-based, as it should be, more members of the General Assembly need to follow Speaker Tillis and show support for the school.
At the very least, this kind of support will give the state confidence in the future of Governor’s School and possibly spur further fundraising gains. David Winslow, who is coordinating fundraising efforts, has said many big-time donors are hesitant to donate to a program that may not make it past this summer.
State representatives and senators should work with Speaker Tillis to begin formulating a plan to bring the program back to its original funding model. This will allow the school to return to the egalitarian, merit-based program that was initially envisioned for the most promising of North Carolina’s youth.
