Bipartisanship, like pollen, has been in the air in Raleigh lately. Both will be gone soon.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed the âExcellent Public Schools Act of 2021â championed by Phil Berger, the Republican Senate president pro-tem. Democrats and Republicans voted overwhelmingly for the bill; it passed the Senate 48-0 and the House 113-5.
But when he signed the law, Governor Cooper said:
âLearning to read early in life is critical for our children and this legislation will help educators improve the way they teach reading. But ultimate success will hinge on attracting and keeping the best teachers with significantly better pay and more help in the classroom with tutoring and instructional coaching.â