This week in Washington, D.C., the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released its Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations bill, which, if passed, would have significant consequences for North Carolina.
More Federal Cuts Proposed
This week, a House subcommittee endorsed many –though not all– of President Trump’s proposed Department of Education funding cuts proposed education budget for fiscal year 2026. Most notably, the bill includes a $3.5 billion reduction in Title I funding, a detrimental cut that would directly impact low-income students and families across the country. The bill also proposes canceling funding for English Language Learners, Full Service Community Schools, and teacher training programs and would cut millions of dollars in funding to districts that were already appropriated and should be received by October 1.
Congress must pass a federal budget or a continuing resolution by the end of the month to avoid a government shutdown. The House proposal is unlikely to advance in its current form, as the Senate advanced a very different bill earlier this summer. However, the proposal sets an unsettling tone for further education policy and budget negotiations.
North Carolina–which serves many districts with a higher percentage of students living in poverty–is among the 12 states expected to be hardest hit by proposed federal budget cuts, a reminder that the stakes for our schools are particularly high. Our students and our schools deserve better. This tool helps demonstrate the potential impact for North Carolina.
Growth in our Local Public Schools
Meanwhile, North Carolina’s public schools are showing steady progress in test scores and graduation rates, moving toward the goals outlined in the Department of Public Instruction’s strategic plan. We celebrate this growth and the incredible educators who make it possible every day.
Continued progress, however, requires continued investment and support from lawmakers both at the state and federal levels. With no state budget in place and potential federal cuts ahead, districts find themselves in a state of perpetual uncertainty and students face yet another school year without the fully resourced schools they need and deserve.
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