North Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger has conceded his primary race, ending his 15-year tenure as caucus leader. Berger’s departure signals a significant moment of transition for the North Carolina General Assembly. Since 2011, legislative priorities under his leadership have helped define the state’s approach to school funding, choice, and educator pay. The decisions ahead will determine whether the state continues its current trajectory or charts a new path for public schools.
Tax Policy
Under Berger’s leadership, the General Assembly pursued significant income and corporate tax cuts. Personal income and corporate tax rates are scheduled to decline further in the coming years, a loss that grows to over $7 billion by FY 2033-34. When states face revenue constraints, difficult budget decisions follow–and concerns remain that public education could be impacted.
North Carolina experienced deep education cuts during the Great Recession and has yet to fully recover in terms of investment. Despite a growing economy, the state now ranks last in the nation for funding effort, meaning it dedicates a smaller share of its economic capacity to public education. Looking ahead, projected cumulative General Fund losses of approximately $37 billion over the next seven years highlight the long-term fiscal implications of current tax policy. Notably, the scheduled income tax cuts will primarily benefit higher-income households.
Expansion of Taxpayer-Funded Private School Vouchers
Berger has also been a leading advocate for expanding private school vouchers. Under his leadership, the voucher program expanded well beyond its initial design (targeting low-income families only) to a universal program that now allows any family to receive a voucher regardless of income. The state spent more than $800 million in public funds last year to clear the waitlist, with total planned appropriations through 2033 estimated at $7 billion.
This expansion comes as North Carolina continues to rank near the bottom in per-pupil spending–at $5,660 less spent per student than the national average. Reports have raised questions about transparency, accountability, and the use of public funds to support private education, particularly for higher-income families.
Meanwhile, our public schools remain underfunded despite our constitutional obligation to provide a sound, basic education for every child through the Leandro v. State of North Carolina decisions. Under Senator Berger’s leadership, legislative leaders have challenged aspects of these rulings through legal appeals and resistance to court-directed funding actions.
Teacher Pay
As the budget impasse continues, teachers have not received a raise since 2023. North Carolina now ranks 43rd in the nation for average teacher pay and 39th in starting pay. The Senate’s budget proposal includes a modest increase, with starting salaries at $41,410 and an average raise of 2.3%. Given rising costs of living, health care, and inflation, questions remain about the competitiveness of these increases in attracting and retaining educators.
Berger’s tenure reflects a large shift in the state’s approach to education policy. As new leadership emerges, policymakers will face decisions about whether to continue along this path towards privatization or shift towards strengthening North Carolina’s public education system.
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