U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visited the Cumberland County School District on Wednesday as part of her plan to visit all 50 states to recognize excellence in civics education.
“I’m really pleased to be able to be back home in North Carolina,” McMahon said on Wednesday before a full gymnasium at Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville.
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McMahon is a native of New Bern.
Several partisan organizations, including Turning Point USA, hosted Wednesday’s event. Some parents that WRAL News spoke with said they were concerned the event would be overly partisan.
District leaders said Wednesday’s event was not mandatory for students. They chose whether they attended.
It comes as Cumberland County Schools has seen a drop in enrollment of about 1,200 students compared to last school year. Because the state funds public schools in part based on average daily enrollment, fewer students means less money for the district. The decrease in federal funding wouldn't be reflected until the 2026-27 school year.
Federal funding supports for schools put in place during the pandemic have also expired, and local districts are struggling to fill those funding gaps.
Public documents show Cumberland County Schools had a total budget of $584.53 million for the 2024-25 school year, of which:
- State funding: $382.53 million (65%)
- Federal funding: $88 million (15%)
- Local funding: $113.99 million (20%)
The federal government typically provides funding in the form of grants and does not fund schools on a per-student basis. The vast majority of school districts across the country are experiencing birth-rate drops in part due to declining birth rates, increased options for private and charter schools, and declining immigration.
WRAL News asked McMahon if districts losing state funds can expect federal support in its place.
“It's not a federal issue,” McMahon said. “It's clearly a local issue.
“I would urge them to identify that early and respond to that as quickly as they can and if we can offer any technical assistance we can.”
WRAL News asked McMahon if she sees the federal government stepping in to provide any funding when dealing with enrollment declines.
“I don't know what funding the federal government would be providing for that,” McMahon said.
Educators like Jack Britt High School Principal Dr. Queesha Tillman shared her perspective on the funding.
“We are hoping that events like this may spark some change or debate and maybe they can reconsider defunding the Department of Education,” Tillman said.