(The Center Square) – Federal funding is 10.9% of the state’s budget for public schools, says North Carolina’s education superintendent, meaning the pending closure of the U.S. Department of Education will impact thousands of educators and students in the nation’s ninth largest state.
With about 1.5 million schoolchildren and more than 90,000 educators, the Department of Public Instruction overseen by Superintendent Mo Green has about 7.6% of the education workforce helped by federal money.
“The federal government provides over $1 billion to support public school students, including services for students with disabilities, children from low-income families and Career and Technical Education programs,” said Green, a first-term Democrat elected Nov. 5. “Those federal dollars fund more than 14,000 teacher and other educator positions across the state.”
Linda McMahon, the North Carolina native, East Carolina graduate and pick to lead the Department of Education by President Donald Trump, indicated in a network interview and on social media the best outcome for children can be achieved.
“We’re spending more money per pupil than any country in the world and we’re seeing less results,” McMahon said. “That’s a clear indicator we’re not doing the best thing we can do for our students.
“Let the states tailor education to local communities – and get results. Let parents choose the best educational fit for their children. Let teachers teach.”
McMahon said for every federal dollar, 47 cents goes to regulatory compliance.
Spending on education was the largest share of the last state budget at $17.9 billion for 2024-25, and $17.3 billion for 2023-24 of the $60.7 billion two-year plan.
Whereas state leaders have said teachers are leaving North Carolina because of pay, McMahon said it’s the bogging down of regulation that is causing teachers to leave the profession across the country.
“Today’s executive order from President Trump,” said Donald Bryson, CEO of the conservative leaning Locke Foundation in Raleigh, “signifies a deliberate attempt to restore educational authority to the states and eliminate a federal bureaucracy that has long burdened local school systems with costly and unnecessary mandates. Education is, at its core, a state and local responsibility, and North Carolina is more than capable of determining how best to educate its students without interference from Washington.”
Green said he is hopeful this and all executive branch orders will not disrupt operations.
“While I fully acknowledge that this executive order, especially when coupled with other federal pronouncements and actions impacting public education, is unsettling, my commitment to North Carolina’s 1.5 million students remains unwavering,” Green said. “I am confident that by working together – educators, families, communities and policymakers – we will continue advancing educational excellence for every student in our state.”
