North Carolina’s rural schools are being hit with another blow as the U.S. Department of Education failed to distribute to public school districts more than $165 million in federal grants that had been allocated by Congress.
New reporting by Kris Nordstrom of the North Carolina Justice Center shows which school districts in North Carolina stand to lose the most from the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to withhold funding from five major K-12 grant programs. The hardest hit counties are all rural counties. Funding ($20 M)for two adult education programs was also withheld.
On June 30, school districts across the nation were told that they wouldn’t receive their scheduled July 1 funding distribution even though the funds were appropriated by Congress and are part of routine distributions. More than $185 million has been withheld from North Carolina, including over $165 million for K-12 education programs.
As a result of this funding loss, school districts across the state may be required to slash student services. These cuts will disproportionately fall upon rural districts and districts with the greatest share of students experiencing poverty. The average per-student cut ranges from $84 per student in city districts to $131 per student in rural districts (image from K. Nordstrom brief).
The ten districts that stand to lose the most if the funding is not reinstated are all located in rural counties. A number of these counties are already struggling with the devastation of Hurricane Helene and other natural disasters. Estimated funding lost per student follows each district’s name:
- Avery County Schools: $580
- Ashe County Schools: $434
- Polk County Schools: $387
- Graham County Schools: $376
- Whiteville City Schools: $312
- Camden County Schools: $285
- Bladen County Schools: $262
- Cherokee County Schools: $248
- Northampton County Schools: $216
- Tyrrell County Schools: $203
In total, nearly $7 billion was withheld from states across the nation. The affected programs disproportionally serve students most in need of support and may devastate programs that rely on federal funds.
Here are the five K-12 programs affected and the funding withheld from North Carolina schools:
- Title I-C ($5,365,426) Migrant education: Funds programs meeting the special educational needs of children of migrant agricultural workers.
- Title II-A ($67,906,396) Professional development: Increases the academic achievement of all students by improving the quality and effectiveness of educators and underserved students’ access to effective educators.
- Title III-A ($19,338,744) English-learner services: Supports English Learners in achieving English proficiency, academic excellence, and meeting state standards.
- Title IV-A ($37,245,499) Academic enrichment: Boosts students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of schools to provide students with access to a well-rounded education, improving school conditions for student learning, and expanding the use of technology.
- Title IV-B ($35,719,614) Before- and after-school programs: Supports low-performing schools by establishing or expanding community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low performing schools.
Two programs for adults in North Carolina also had funding withheld: Adult Basic and Literacy Instruction lost $18,636,144 and Adult Integrated Literacy/Civics Education lost $1,671,946.
The loss for all seven programs totals $185,874,769. North Carolina lawmakers have not yet finalized next year’s budget; it remains to be seen how the loss of federal education funds will factor into their financial deliberations in the coming weeks.
Perhaps they will revisit the $731 million currently allocated for private school vouchers and direct the money toward public schools instead.