Fact Check on Patrick Ballantine

Ballantine’s Claim: These school systems are so large and so bureaucratic that we’re wasting hundreds of millions of dollars . . . and we’re still near the bottom in reading, math and science.”
- The State of Things, WUNC FM, September 24th, 2004

The Real Facts: Student test scores in North Carolina are at the top of the nation and continue to improve each year. We are above the national average on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests for 4th and 8th grade reading, writing, and math. We are among the top seven states in the nation on five of those six tests. Moreover, a recent Associated Press (9/9/04) article writes that Ballantine, “said he has never mentioned anything about the [student test] scores failing to go up.”

Governor Easley’s administration has worked to streamline the education administration and put more funding in the classroom.
 

Ballantine's Claim: "I've only voted for two budgets in my ten years. One was in 1995 . . . The next budget I voted for was in 1997, and that was the last budget I voted for . . ."
- The State of Things, WUNC FM, September 24th, 2004

The Real Facts: As a state senator, Patrick Ballantine voted for final budget passage in 1998 (S.1366), 1999 (H.168) and 2000 (H.1840).
 

Ballantine's Claim: "'...we're losing jobs to South Carolina ...'"
- News 14 Carolina, January 12, 2004

The Real Facts: In 2003, South Carolina lost 46,000 jobs, a decline of 2.5 percent ranking last in the nation. At the time, South Carolina had an unemployment rate of 7 percent.

North Carolina in that time period has gained 10,500 jobs and has an unemployment rate of 6.2 percent. (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Ballantine's Claim: "Tax revenues have gone up by 7.2 percent and spending is even more out of control."
- AM 990 Radio Interview, March 3, 2004

The Real Facts: Tax revenues have NOT gone up by 7.2 percent not only in the last year, but in the three years since Governor Easley took office. Spending this year is below 4 percent, well below Governor Easley's cap on state spending. (Summary of Financial Condition, January 31, 2004 , Office of the State Controller)

Ballantine's Claim: "'(Gov. Easley) had a poor educational track record.'"
- Greenville Reflector, January 13, 2004

The Real Facts: Governor Easley has held steadfast to preserving and expanding our investments in education. As a direct result of his resolve North Carolina can boast the following statistics from the NC Public Schools website:

•  North Carolina is in the top ten nationally in efforts to improve teacher quality.

•  Charlotte Mecklenburg School District outperformed 8 other urban school districts from across the nation in a head to head NAEP analysis

•  In 2002-03, 80.8 percent of students in grades 3-8 were considered proficient in reading and mathematics, up 19.1 points from 1996-97.

•  The state's average total SAT score for 2003 remains above the Southeast average breaking the 1000 point threshold for the first time.

•  North Carolina 's fourth and eighth grade students topped the national and Southeast average scores on the (NAEP) 2002 Reading Assessment.

•  North Carolina is a national leader in student achievement gains by African-Americans, Latinos, and white students on national exams

•  North Carolina again in 2003 placed in a group of states receiving the overall highest grades on Education Week's 50-state report card.

In addition, More at Four is a national model for pre-school education created by Gov. Easley serving close to 7,000 at risk four years olds across the state in 2003 and proven to increase test scores while reducing the achievement gap. (Office of the Governor January 2004 Legislative Report)