As we await further news on the North Carolina budget, this week we turn our attention to the details of President Trump’s FY2026 budget request. This proposal would dramatically reduce funding to public schools and force states to make difficult decisions to cut programs our students depend on.
On May 30, President Trump released his education budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2026, filling in the details of the initial “skinny budget” released last month. Title I and IDEA funding would remain mostly intact, with Career and Technical Education (CTE) and charter schools seeing increased budgets. However, nearly all other federal K-12 education programs would be drastically reduced or eliminated, harming students in North Carolina’s public schools.
What’s in the budget proposal?
Among other provisions, the proposed federal education budget eliminates all funding for
- Full-Service Community Schools ($50 million in North Carolina): Community Schools across the state– from Buncombe County to Vance County to Elizabeth City– depend on this funding to provide academic, mental, and physical health support to students and their communities, typically in low-income and rural areas.
- English Language Acquisition ($19.8 million in North Carolina): With educators, professional development and school services supported by the funds from this grant, multilingual learners receive high-quality instruction as they develop their language and academic skills.
- Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program ($64 million in North Carolina): These grants, already targeted for cancellation by the current administration, provide additional compensation and additional training for those in the profession, aiming to help attract and retain high-qualified educators.
While not directly eliminated, the budget also consolidates 18 other existing programs into one Simplified Funding Program (SFP), or block grant. This consolidation would result in a $4.5 billion (nearly 70%) decrease from total current funding for these programs, forcing states to decide which of these 18 programs to fund and which to cut. In North Carolina, state leaders would be forced to consider whether or not to continue funding things like afterschool programs, gifted education, school safety programs, literacy development, and rural education support with federal dollars they have come to rely on.
North Carolina is already facing a state budget deficit in the coming years due to planned tax cuts, limiting available funds for public schools, and has increasingly diverted state funds to private school vouchers. With further funding cuts like these from the federal government, our schools would face further financial strain, and our students would suffer as a result.
A Closer Look at Cuts to Afterschool
The cuts to afterschool overall and to STEM education are significant in the President’s budget request, as well. These cuts are devastating and come as the evidence of the importance of afterschool STEM learning gets stronger.
Funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) has been zeroed out as an independent funding stream. Since 94% of 21st Century programs offer STEM learning opportunities, it is a massive blow to efforts to continue advancing STEM in afterschool. In addition, the Title IV Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants is zeroed out with a cut of $1.38 billion. Allowable uses for the grant include support for afterschool STEM activities.
In support of 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP) is seeking testimonials from students, families, and educators about 21st Century Community Learning Center programs and the impacts they have had on students, families, and school communities. Please submit your stories, photos, and videos here. If you have any questions, please email the NC CAP Coordinator, Sebastian Pruett, at spruett@ncforum.org.
What’s next?
While noteworthy, the President’s budget request represents just one step of the annual federal appropriations process. Next up, Congress will review the President’s budget request and draft its own funding bills. Critically, appropriations bills need 60 votes to pass in the Senate, meaning that a final education funding bill must have bipartisan support.
Separately, the Federal budget reconciliation process– which includes Federal private school vouchers, among a few other education provisions– is ongoing. The Senate is now taking up the reconciliation bill, which passed the House in May.
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