The Big News
The long-awaited WestEd Leandro report was released publicly this week. The report, titled “Sound Basic Education for All: An Action Plan for North Carolina,” lays out findings and recommendations for how North Carolina can meet the mandates of the Leandro case. The recommendations cover eight areas, but the item getting the most attention right now is the price tag. The report recommends spending an additional $6.86 billion over the next eight years, which comes out to $860 million a year.
We put together a table of the findings and recommendations in each area, so check that out to get a high-level overview of the report. And make sure to read CEO and Editor-in-Chief Mebane Rash’s thoughts on the report in the Weekly Insight.
Over the coming weeks and months, we will dig into the details. For now, here’s how different organizations are reporting on and reacting to the report.
- The News & Observer
- NC Policy Watch
- Carolina Journal
- Public School Forum
- NC Early Childhood Foundation
For Your Consideration
As we come to the end of 2019, Pew Research is taking a look at trends over the past few decades, including how higher education funding has changed. In a recent report, they present a series of charts documenting, among other things, how state funding of higher education decreased after the recession and federal funding increased.
Other findings include:
- State funding for higher education is largely concentrated on general purpose appropriations, whereas federal funding is a combination of Pell grants, research funding, and veterans’ educational benefits.
- Post-9/11 GI Bill has driven increases in federal spending on veterans’ higher education.
- Federal and state revenue account for 34% of total revenue for public institutions.
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