Friday, Nov. 14: UNC Tuition Freeze + SEL Debate in Durham + Virtual Charters Under Review
Friday, Nov. 14
Your local news briefing
5 Headlines You Should Know Today
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UNC trustees keep in-state tuition flat, raise out-of-state rates
Despite a statewide green light to raise tuition, UNC-Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees voted against a 3% increase for in-state undergraduates, citing a responsibility to keep education accessible. Instead, trustees approved a 10% hike for out-of-state students and asked staff to explore higher nonresident graduate tuition to help plug an $800,000 budget gap following a $7 million cut under the UNC System’s new funding model. NC State’s board is set to weigh a similar in-state tuition increase today.
Durham leans into Social-Emotional Learning amid statewide backlash
As Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) becomes a flashpoint in North Carolina politics, Durham Public Schools has woven it into classrooms across all grades since 2021. Educators say daily SEL routines help students manage stress, build resilience and connect learning to lived experience. Hillside High also hosts the nation’s first Black SEL Hub, centering cultural identity and belonging in emotional education—an approach supporters say helps students thrive, not just survive.
NC virtual charter schools seek renewal after years of weak performance
After nearly a decade as pilot programs, NC Cyber Academy and NC Virtual Academy must now convince the NC Charter Schools Review Board to grant them five-year renewals. Both online schools have struggled with poor academic ratings, but leaders say recent gains and new remediation plans show they’re on the upswing. The board is expected to decide on their future early next year.
Residents raise alarms over massive Apex-area data center proposal
More than 100 people packed the New Hill Community Center to push back on a proposed 200-megawatt data center in western Wake County, which would require annexation and rezoning by Apex. Neighbors questioned the facility’s power and water demands, diesel emissions and potential noise, while developer Natelli Investments shared a 48-hour sound study and pledged to cap noise at 60 decibels at the property line. Apex, which currently has no noise ordinance, is now working with the developer to craft one.
Downtown Wendell bets on small businesses and adaptive reuse
Downtown Wendell is seeing fresh energy as local entrepreneurs, including Bellow Butcher Co. owners Chris and Lauren Gass, rehab older buildings into new shops and restaurants. Population growth in nearby Wendell Falls, town-backed improvement grants and a social district policy are driving demand, alongside larger adaptive reuse projects like the $10–15 million Third Street Apollo development. Town leaders say the goal is to welcome growth while preserving Wendell’s small-town feel.
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