RALEIGH (September 8, 2022) – High-stakes arguments are underway – as they have been for 28 years – in the Leandro case about funding for basic education in our state.

What is it about the NC General Assembly that compels our legislators to ignore the educational needs of our most valuable assets: Our children?

Our funding for public education does not measure up to:

• Our state Constitution;

• Our neighboring states (or even Alabama);¹ 

• Funding per student prior to the Great Recession;²

• Our significant population growth. North Carolina has become the 9th-largest state in the nation,³  but our funding has not kept up;

• The skilled labor force demanded by the significant growth in industry that we are experiencing.

What will it take for our Legislature to act? If the courts cannot do so, where do we turn? Maybe we must turn to the ballot box and elect people who truly value education.

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¹ https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2022/08/20/boyle-column-nc-trails-alabama-sc-tennessee-teacher-pay/7841283001/; https://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2022/07/07/alabama-is-schooling-north-carolina-on-teacher-pay/#sthash.fiq2rbOC.JdAVHt6H.dpbs/. 
² https://hew.aveltsagency.com/2022/05/6-2b-nc-surplus-make-education-a-priority-again/; https://hew.aveltsagency.com/2018/12/k-12-progress/.
³https://worldpopulationreview.com/states.