Charlotte Post Foundation raising money for after-school programs

Looking to close the achievement gap between white and black students on standardized tests, The Charlotte Post Foundation has announced it will launch a program to raise $75,000 to fund after-school programs for underserved children.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools data released earlier this school year showed that 42.9 percent of black students were proficient on reading exams in elementary and middle school, compared with 81.4 percent of white students.

The Charlotte Post Foundation is dedicated to serving black youth in the city. Money raised will go toward African-American students in elementary schools, the foundation said. About $15,000 has been donated so far in the six-month drive.

Many CMS elementary schools already have after-school care programs, that run from $35 to $65 per week.

The district has also started putting some free, specialized after-school programs in underserved communities. For example, Bruns Academy in west Charlotte has brought in a South Carolina nonprofit, WINGS for Kids, to run a five-day-a-week program centered on emotional learning.

“It’s time to put our money where our mouth is," said Gerald Johnson, president of the foundation and publisher of The Charlotte Post. "The reality is that if these students fail, our entire community fails.  And we cannot afford for that to happen.”

Little money in school board race so far

Eric Davis,  who's seeking re-election as the District 5 representative to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board,  has the fund-raising lead by a long shot in the early financial reports that were due Friday.  As of June 30,  Davis reported he had raised just under $7,700,  including $500 from former N.C. Board of Education Chairman Howard Haworth;  $500 from John Belk,  president of Belk Inc.;  $250 from current state Board of Education member John Tate;  and $500 each from Anna Nelson of the C.D. Spangler Foundation,  co-chair of Project LIFT,  and her husband Tom Nelson.

Davis

Davis'  mid-year tally falls far short of the $27,767 he had at the same point in 2009,  as he was gearing up his first political campaign.  He said Tuesday he now has $15,000 lined up.  "I intend to run as vigorous and successful a campaign as I did in 2009,"  he said.

But it's definitely a different scenario this time,  with five of six incumbents seeking re-election.  Four years ago five of six elected incumbents had either decided not to run or resigned to become county commissioners,  clearing the way for a five-member majority of newcomers to be elected.

Byers-Bailey

Thelma Byers-Bailey,  seeking the D2 seat,  is the only other candidate who filed a report disclosing fund-raising before June 30.  She reports having $2,755 as of that date,  including $675 from herself and smaller contributions from a number of donors.

Davis' D5 challenger,  Edward Donaldson,  is one of two candidates who filed statements saying they don't intend to raise or spend more than $1,000,  which frees them from having to file additional reports. The other is Doug Wrona,  one of three D6 candidates.

None of the other incumbents  --  Rhonda Lennon in D1,  Richard McElrath in D2, unchallenged Joyce Waddell in D3 and Tom Tate in D4 -- has filed a midyear finance report,  an indicator that they hadn't started their fund-raising by June 30.  McElrath and Tate haven't even filed organization papers to create a campaign committee.

Likewise,  candidates Queen Elizabeth Thompson in D4 and Bolyn McClung in D6 have yet to file organizing reports.  Paul Bailey,  the third D6 candidate,  reports giving his campaign a $500 start-up loan.  Christine Mast in D1 reports having $160,  including $100 from herself.

Longtime Elections Director Michael Dickerson says it's not unusual to see a slow start to school board campaigns.  The nonpartisan race has no primary before the Nov. 5 election,  and tends to be overshadowed by city races until the Sept. 10 primary is over.