Legislators: Do your job - Public Ed Works

RALEIGH (April 23, 2026) – State legislators returned to Raleigh for their so-called “short” session this week with some very basic jobs to finish.

Here’s what they need to do:

Adopt a budget. This is one of the most fundamental tasks legislators are elected to do.

Yet thanks to the state Senate’s stubbornness over planned tax cuts, North Carolina remains the only state in the nation that hasn’t adopted a new budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.

That means that despite persistent inflation, our public schools, community colleges, universities and state agencies are operating on a budget that was adopted in 2023.

What makes North Carolina so “special” among 49 other states? Or is “dysfunctional” a better term?

North Carolina ranks dead last among the states in the percentage of its economy it devotes to K-12 public schools.¹

That’s unconscionable. And embarrassing. We have the ability to do more. We simply don’t.

Why not? These children are our future. We need legislators to understand that.

Give public school teachers a substantial raise – two years’ worth.

North Carolina treats its teachers like dirt.

The state ranks 43rd in average teacher pay,² and it will only slide further in rankings this year because without a budget, North Carolina didn’t raise teacher pay while other states did. There’s only one way to go – down.

The state is losing 10% of its teachers every year³ – more than 10,000 in 2023 alone.⁴

And because it starts each school year with thousands of teacher vacancies, school districts hire an increasing percentage of international and uncertified teachers.⁵

Last year, the state House proposed raises of 8.7% over two years for public-school teachers, as well as a starting salary of at least $50,000 by 2026-27 and restoration of additional pay for teachers with master’s degrees.

The proposal from the Republican-controlled House even won support from 27 Democrats and praise from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein.

The state Senate, in contrast, proposed paltry raises of 3.3% plus a $3,000 bonus over two years.⁶

How’s that for appreciation of the profession that creates all others?

Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Stein proposed average raises of 11% this week for the state’s teachers.⁷

Even if legislators adopt a budget just for 2026-27 – since they’ve already squandered 2025-26 – teachers deserve two years’ worth of raises that legislators in both chambers proposed last year.

You might say legislators are tardy.

It’s past due. Pay them.

No voucher expansion. Legislators removed any limits on the income of families that can receive tax dollars as vouchers to attend private schools in 2024.⁸

State spending on vouchers exploded, draining budget dollars from the public schools that the vast majority of our children still attend.

The voucher program will put $675 million taxpayer dollars into private schools in 2026-27 alone.⁹ And 90% of the schools that receive the most in vouchers are religious schools.¹⁰

The General Assembly needs to restore income limits on vouchers and require more accountability of the schools that receive them.

Don’t mess with taxes. Because legislators aren’t doing their job to support public schools, school districts across the state – Wake, Mecklenburg, Guilford and Forsyth, among others – are asking county commissioners for millions of dollars more to take up the legislature’s slack and provide teacher pay supplements and other needs.

Wealthy urban counties might be able to afford that, but can rural counties like Halifax? Tyrrell? Swain? Hoke? Robeson?

Legislators need to recall that they place their hand on The Bible and take an oath to support a state constitution that guarantees “a uniform system of free public schools”¹¹ and the right of access to “a sound, basic education.”¹²

Do legislators ever actually read that constitution? Doubtful.

Sure – everyone wants lower taxes. But legislators should not remove one of the few options counties and cities have left when legislators don’t do their job. Those property-tax dollars also support first responders – do Republican legislators really want to defund the police?¹³

Legislators need to look themselves in the mirror before they tell counties what to do.

Enrollment growth funds for community colleges and universities. As colleges across the country confront declining enrollment, the UNC System is one of the few that see increased enrollment.

It’s something to celebrate.

Yet they are trying to educate those increasing numbers of students with 2023 budget dollars. The UNC System is due $159 million for classes it has already delivered to students, as a former chair of the UNC Board of Governors pointed out in February.¹⁴

It’s past due. Pay them.

Fund the Children’s Hospital. Government too often reacts after the fact – it puts up a stoplight only after someone gets killed at an intersection.

But in a region already known for its medical expertise, a proposed children’s hospital that would be a joint venture between UNC Health and Duke Health would get ahead of the curve.

The proposal – favored by NC Senate leader Phil Berger – is for a $3 billion investment in a freestanding children’s hospital on a 230-acre site in Apex.¹⁵

Officials say too many North Carolina children – especially those that require specialized care – must travel out of state for that treatment.

SO GET OUT of the sandbox, legislators. And do your job. Adopt a budget and all that goes with it.

This isn’t just another partisan spat. It’s Republicans fighting Republicans. And right now it looks like you can’t govern. Please prove us wrong.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply