N.C. public school funding less than in 2008

Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016 -- Funding for North Carolina public schools is less today than it was when the Great Recession began. When adjusted for inflation, per student spending has been cut by 10 percent.

Posted 3:41 p.m. Oct 20, 2016 — Updated 3:41 p.m. Oct 20, 2016

North Carolina choose to cut income tax rates rather than restore recession related cuts to public school funding -- and per-student general fund spending in the state remains below 2008 levels, according to a national report released Thursday.

Per-student spending in North Carolina public schools, adjusted for inflation, is about 10 percent less than was in 2008, according to the report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

"At least 23 states will provide less 'general' or 'formula' funding -- the primary form of state support for elementary and secondary schools -- in the current school year (2017) than when the Great Recession took hold in 2008," the report states.

"Eight states have cut general funding by about 10 percent or more over this period. Five of those eight states -- Arizona, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin -- enacted income tax rate cuts costing tens or hundreds of millions of dollars each year, rather than restore education funding."

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