More than 400 people are expected to attend a public charter school funding session tonight for leaders of color at Johnson C. Smith University.

The event, which begins at 6 p.m., will be the last of a series of statewide sessions held by Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) and Partners for Developing Futures.

In June, Gov. Beverly Perdue signed a measure eliminating the public charter school cap, providing an opportunity for more minority-led public charters to be created in North Carolina.

However, funding opportunities for such schools remain scarce. Organizers of tonight’s session say they are holding the forum to help link leaders of color that are interested in creating public charters with the necessary resources to do so.

PEFNC believes public schools created by leaders of color are needed to address the academic and social needs within their communities.

“It is important for minority students, especially those from low-income communities to see that someone like them, who is from their community, rural or urban, is personally and professionally invested in their education,” said Stan Chambers, PEFNC Director of Communications.

He says providing this psychological boost for these students will help North Carolina close its achievement gap, which for math and reading end-of-grade passage rates between 2002 and 2010, increased from 26 to 30 percent, according to the Department of Public Instruction.

Sen. Malcolm Graham (D - Mecklenburg) is expected to address the crowd tonight. Darrell Allison, PEFNC President; Ref Rodriguez, President & CEO of Partners of Developing Futures; and Isha James, Program Director of Partners for Developing Futures will also be in attendance.

Click here for more information about attending.
 

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