Exploring Weighted Student Funding in North Carolina

In 2023, Senators Lee, Galey, and Barnes sponsored a bill that would convert North Carolina’s funding formula to a weighted student funding (WSF) model. Nationally, 41 states use student-based funding in their formula. Weighted, student-based funding formulas include a base funding amount plus funding for students with additional needs, including economically disadvantaged students, English language learners, and students with disabilities. The base funding amount is the cost of educating a student without additional needs.