Respond Boldly to this Moment: Choose Public Education

Public education advocates across the US and North Carolina are angry and so are we. There can be no other response than outrage at the reckless and unnecessary withholding of federal funds, already appropriated by Congress, for our nation’s public schools. Anger is the appropriate response when we know children will be harmed.

So what can we do? How can public education advocates, and advocates for children, respond to this moment? We must turn toward our public schools, choose our public schools, and show up for them!

We are the best hope for public schools. We play a crucial role in supporting and improving public education. A strong and effective public school system relies not just on government, but on the active engagement and commitment of everyone in the community – parents, teachers, students, community and business leaders, and concerned citizens.

Those that seek to destroy public education as the cornerstone of our democracy must be met by an American public that says, “NO!”

What does this mean?

It means parents enrolling their children in their local school district, getting involved at their schools, and volunteering time and/or resources.
It means community members and businesses signing up to volunteer with their local school district in tutoring or mentoring programs.
It means joining the local PTA. Even those who feel their time is limited can join their local PTA without signing up to volunteer or sit on a committee. And the good news- PTA dues are very affordable and you do not have to have a child in the school to join; they welcome community members and grandparents!
It means urging state lawmakers to vote for educator salaries and policies that support public schools.
It means showing up to school board meetings, knowing who is on the ballot and their positions on public education, and participating in every election.
It means being an informed voter and electing pro-education leaders.

Let us send a crystal clear message- one that makes headlines: the people of America choose public education. Every time voters have had the chance to weigh in on vouchers at the ballot box, VOUCHERS LOSE BIG. Just last year CO, KY, and NE all rejected private school vouchers.

The people of America choose our public schools, ALL our nation’s children, and our public school teachers. Let there be no ambiguity in how we respond to this moment: let us SHOW UP for and in our public schools NOW.

Imagine and then actualize a back-to-school season where school districts across the US see surges of new children and families enrolling in our public schools. Dedicated educators are there to welcome you with open arms, ready to provide love and care, and quality instruction to our nation’s children.

We can meet this moment with a response that lets privatizers and lawmakers know that the public chooses public schools and we will not allow any person, political party, ideology, or policy to destroy the very cornerstone of our democracy: our public schools.

Impact of the Federal Budget Bill H.R. 1

Effective 2026-27 School Year

While the state waits for lawmakers to return to Raleigh to finalize budgets for 2025-26 and 2026-27, districts face the challenge of opening schools with no budget and with millions in federal funds frozen by the U.S. Department of Education.

They must also grapple with the challenges caused by the federal budget bill (H.R. 1) signed into law on July 5. The Congressional Budget Office’s evaluation of H.R. 1 projects that it will increase the national deficit by $3.4 trillion over the next 10 years, largely due to tax cuts that reduce revenue by about $4.5 trillion and major spending increases for immigration crackdowns and defense spending.

To offset the cost of tax cuts and increased spending, the budget makes some major cuts that will affect students, families, and education.

Medicaid The budget cuts about $1 trillion from Medicaid, the federal program that provides health insurance coverage to parents and children who are low-income and to people with disabilities.

Currently, children between 6 and 18 are eligible for Medicaid (health insurance coverage) if their family meets the income requirement of no more than $138% of the federal poverty level (i.e., below $36,156 for a family of 4). New administrative requirements may result in already stressed families being pushed out of the program along with their children.

More than 3 million North Carolinians were enrolled in Medicaid as of February 2025 including 32% of our state’s rural population. Across the state, an estimated 600,000 North Carolinians could lose health coverage due to Medicaid cuts. If people lose coverage and delay healthcare or forego medical care until they face an urgent medical crisis, overall costs will rise. Without the assurance of Medicaid payments, many rural hospitals risk closing or scaling back services, further depriving rural families of adequate medical care.

Medicaid is also a major source of funding for K-12 schools. Schools receive money to help provide services for students enrolled in Medicaid and also students with disabilities. When students lose Medicaid coverage, they lose access to healthcare and also lose educational support.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cuts. SNAP is a federally funded program run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) agriculture department. Currently, the federal government covers 100% of the cost of benefits while states administer the program with some federal funding support. In North Carolina the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) administers SNAP.

To reduce federal spending, H.R. 1 will require states to pick up some of the program costs starting in 2028. This shifts the burden to states that may be unable to absorb the costs. According to Governor Stein, NC would be required to pay $420 million, putting the state at risk of completely shutting down the program.

Children who qualify for SNAP are automatically enrolled in federal school nutrition programs, so losing SNAP coverage also puts their school meals at risk.

More than 1 million North Carolinians are food insecure, including 1 in 6 children. A hungry child is more likely to struggle in school, so ensuring food security by making food readily available to all children is an obvious way to improve outcomes for all.

Student Loans. Federal Student Loan program changes may make higher education out of reach for many families, especially low-income families. The new budget introduces borrowing caps for graduate and Parent Plus loans as well as undergraduate loans, reducing the amount of money available to students.

The bill also eliminates federal subsidized loans for undergraduates. Currently, the subsidized loans don’t accrue interest while the student is in school. Under the new rules, interest will accrue over the life of the loan, adding to the overall cost for the borrower.

Eliminating subsidized loans and capping loan amounts could increase the overall cost of college for many students. However, the bill also expands Pell Grant eligibility to short-term workforce training programs that meet specific quality metrics.

New Federal Voucher Program. With the chronic failure of vouchers at the ballot box (0 wins, 17 losses), state lawmakers have pushed them on taxpayers through state legislation. In H.R. 1, federal lawmakers followed the states’ lead by including a voucher program in the budget bill.

The federal tax credit allows individuals to donate up to $1,700/year to an organization that provides private school tuition vouchers to families. Donors will receive a 100% tax credit from the federal government. Typical charitable donations function as charitable deductions (not tax credits), which means the donor can subtract the amount of the donation from their taxable income. The charitable deduction process results in a smaller financial benefit to the donor than the new federal voucher tax credit. As a result, donors may be incentivized to choose the voucher program instead of another organization, reducing income for traditional charities.

Legislative and SBE Updates

The NCGA convenes again next week. The House convenes at 10:30 a.m. and the Senate at 3:00 p.m. Neither chamber has bills listed for action on its meeting dashboard but votes to overturn Governor Stein's vetoes is likely to be on the agenda.

Check the legislative calendar for further updates.

Read our Week in Review for information about bills that made crossover and may still see action in the NCGA.

Stein has vetoed 14 bills from the state legislature this year. Each chamber will review seven of those vetoes, sending them across to the other chamber if overridden. Some may be added to legislative calendars for a veto override.

Below are key bills we are watching. Please contact your legislators and urge them to uphold the Governor's veto.

HB 805 “Prevent Sexual Exploitation/Women and Minors” started as a bill focused on what’s contained in its title. Governor Stein supported the original bill However, lawmakers added numerous other provisions tied to culture war issues such as officially recognizing only two sexes, civil remedies for gender transition procedures on non-minors, etc. Governor Stein’s veto message reads (in part) “The initial version of House Bill 805 protected people from being exploited on pornographic websites against their will. I strongly support that policy, which is a continuation of my work to protect children from sex abuse, modernize our sex crime statutes…I stand ready to work with the legislature when it get serious about protecting people, instead of mean-spirited attempts to further divide us by marginalizing vulnerable North Carolinians.”

SB 254 “Charter School Changes” shifts authority over charter schools from the SBE to the Charter School Review Board. Governor Stein’s statement reads, “Senate Bill 254 is an unconstitutional infringement on the authority of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Additionally, it weakens accountability of charter schools when every North Carolina student deserves excellent public schools, whether traditional or charter.”

SB 227 "Eliminating DEI in Public Education” defines discriminatory practices and divisive concepts and clarifies under what conditions public schools can engage in instruction or discussion of divisive concepts (e.g. impartial discussion of controversial aspects of history). Governor Stein’s veto message reads, “Our diversity is our strength. We should not whitewash history, ban books, or treat our teachers with distrust and disdain. Rather than fearing differing viewpoints and cracking down on free speech, we should ensure our students learn from diverse perspectives and form their own opinions.”

SB 558 “Eliminating DEI in Public Higher Ed” also adds numerous restrictions on what is allowable in North Carolina’s universities and community colleges regarding “divisive” concepts (as defined in the bill). Govern Stein’s statement reads, “Our diversity is our strength. We should not whitewash history, police dorm room conversations, or ban books. Rather than fearing differing viewpoints and cracking down on free speech, we should ensure our students learn from diverse perspectives and form their own opinions.”

SB 50 – Freedom to Carry Act (Permitless Carry): Would allow 18-year-olds with no training or background check to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public spaces like restaurants, parks, or concerts.

HB 193 - Guns in Private Schools: Would allow teachers and volunteers with just 8 hours of training per year, written permission by the private school administrator, and a concealed carry permit to carry concealed handguns on private school grounds.

Other Vetoed Bills Affecting K-12 Education:

HB 171 Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI.
HB 402 Limit Rules With Substantial Financial Costs.
HB 549 Clarify Powers of State Auditor.
SB 153 North Carolina Border Protection Act.
SB 416 Personal Privacy Protection Act

Ohio Court Strikes Down Vouchers

Another defeat for voucher supporters came in June when an Ohio state court ruled that the state’s universal voucher program is unconstitutional. The three main points cited by the court bear striking resemblance to North Carolina, suggesting that our voucher program also violates our state constitution.

By providing private schools with over $700 million in public funds through the voucher program, the OH state legislature created a separate system of nonpublic schools that, unlike public schools, do not accept all students in violation of the state constitution, which authorizes only a single system of common schools.
By not fully funding public schools, while simultaneously spending large sums on vouchers…the OH state legislature failed to secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools as required by the state constitution.
The OH voucher program provides state funding directly to private religious schools…In addition to receiving direct payments from public funds, these private religious schools are free to discriminate against students on the basis of race, religion, LBGTQ+ status or disability.

North Carolina’s legislators spent more than $432 million on vouchers in 2024-25 and are scheduled to spend $731 million in 2025-26. Article IX of the state constitution explicitly states that it is the duty of state and local government to provide a “uniform system of free public schools…wherein equal opportunities shall be provided for all students.” Like Ohio’s private schools, North Carolina’s private schools are free to discriminate in admissions in a number of areas (read our report).

READ MORE

The FY25 Funding Freeze Finally Over

In an totally unnecessary action, the Trump administration withheld $7 billion from U.S. public schools. Last week, NC Attorney General, Jeff Jackson, joined other states to sue for the release of these funds.

On Friday, July 25th, the Trump administration releases billions it withheld from schools. Lawmakers of both parties had lobbied to release the funds, which support English-language learning programs, teacher training and academic enrichment. This is good news but it is important to remember that this delay in the funding caused tremendous anxiety and upheaval in local school districts across the U.S. for no good reason.

Don't Miss These Great Reads!

There's still time to get a great book, enjoy some summer reading, and help support our work! Over the past few years we have partnered with some incredible authors to share their work with you.

Our conversations with many of them can be viewed on our YouTube channel.

If you donate $50 or more, we will send you a book of your choice. You will receive a great book and your donation is tax-deductible!

Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund

The "Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund" is a program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), in partnership with PBS North Carolina (PBS NC), that provides reimbursements to public schools throughout North Carolina to engage in enriching, experiential field trips at DNCR's 100+ locations around the state!

The Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund will help ensure students from all regions of the state have the opportunity to engage in memorable educational experiences while cultivating a deeper understanding and appreciation of North Carolina’s rich history, culture, arts, science and natural resources. By providing financial support through reimbursements for schools to visit DNCR locations around the state, the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund empowers students to connect to what it means to live in and love North Carolina, ultimately helping to cultivate our state’s future leaders and innovators.

LEARN MORE AND APPLY HERE

Words to Remember

"Millions of families of color as well as poor whites stand to lose as they truly have no choice other than to enroll their children in underfunded, segregated schools, public, private, or charter. Choice has provided a safety net for some but the majority are in peril."

— Jon Hale, The Choice We Face p. 165

Help us support public schools!

Public Schools First NC is a statewide nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused solely

on pre-K to 12 public education issues. We collaborate with parents, teachers, business and civic leaders, and communities across North Carolina to advocate for one unified system of public education that prepares each child for productive citizenship.

Questions? Contact us today at [email protected]