With the end of 2025 coming in a few weeks, North Carolina will enter into the new year without a comprehensive state budget and without a ruling on the state’s landmark school funding case.
It has been nearly two years, or over 650 days, since the North Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments from Republican lawyers challenging a previous ruling that the courts can order money to be spent on the state’s public schools.
“There’s no requirement that opinions be issued in any particular time frame,” former NC Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr told The News & Observer. “They obviously know everybody’s waiting. But for whatever reason, it’s not out there.”
Educators, parents, and school leaders who have been waiting for the decision for decades are pushing the state’s highest court for a decision on Leandro, as critical funding is needed.
NCAE hosted a virtual press conference to call attention to the court’s delayed decision. Joined by educators and advocates, the group highlighted how the Republican-led court’s refusal to issue a ruling on the latest Leandro hearing is leaving our students and families across the state in limbo.
“Our elementary school only had half the 5th-grade teachers it needed. And I know how frightening that is. My daughter didn’t have a teacher for nearly half of this last school year, and before that, she went through most of kindergarten without a teacher. And we are still working to close the gaps in her education because of it,” said Melissa Price Kromm, who is the vice president of Hope Valley Elementary PTA, during the virtual press conference.
According to a report from the NEA, North Carolina dropped from 38th to 43rd in the nation for teacher pay. In addition to low pay, teachers across the state are covering supplies in their own classrooms.
On average, North Carolina teachers are spending $1,600 annually on school supplies, making the state second in the nation for out-of-pocket spending, according to a study by CouponBirds.
“Educators across the state are doing everything we can with what we have,” stated Sharita Jones, Chapter President of Vance NCAE, during a press conference. “As an NCAE member, I hear the stories every day. I hear from teachers who buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets. I hear from staff who work two jobs just to stay in the profession they love. I hear from communities that want the best for their children, but have been asked to do more with less for too long.”
For years, education advocates have highlighted how properly funding Leandro would close many funding gaps experienced by school districts across the state. The court-ordered Leandro comprehensive remedial plan, developed by WestEd, outlines investments in qualified and fairly compensated teachers, support staff, adequate and equitable funding, and early childhood education.
Despite former and current Democratic governors, advocates, and judges agreeing on fulfilling students’ constitutional right to a sound basic education, Republican lawmakers and conservative-leaning justices continue to ignore their constitutional and moral duty to ensure our students receive a high-quality education.
“The North Carolina State Supreme Court again chose inaction. Once again, they ignored the Leandro case–the clear constitutional promise that every child within this state is entitled to a sound, basic education. And with that choice, they made a decision to neglect almost 1.5 million public school children in North Carolina,” stated Tamika Walker Kelly, President of NCAE, during the press conference. “The [state] Supreme Court is not alone in this neglect. The North Carolina General Assembly shares this blame as well. We have gone months without a state budget and years without competitive pay”.
