Public Ed Works is an incredibly valuable resource for those people who want to get a quick and concise look on how local public schools are affected by just slight funding shifts.

There is a graphic that shows how the state has systematically lessened its financial support to local public schools all while more is expected of those schools as far as performance is concerned.

In the last 10+ years, the number of charter schools in this state has ballooned as well as an expansion of unregulated vouchers to any family no matter the income level. Throw in a pandemic, stalls in state budgeting, and some serious gerrymandering, people like Phil Berger have deliberately created a rather unhealthy environment for public schools.

The number of students who are identified as special needs and those having law binding IEPs has increased in public schools all while funding efforts have not met just the bare minimum of need.

Take Forsyth County for instance.

When the state does not give funds, it’s on the county to do so.

And the Feds, but Donald Trump is no fan of public schools.

Here is an overview of Forsyth County:

Take a look at these two specific dta points:

The same people who gave over a billion dollars to fund vouchers, lowered the amount of funding percentage-wise to public schools, lowered the corporate tax rate, and forced localities to cover financial gaps just to allow schools to run are trying to LIMIT HOW YOU CAN SET LOCAL PROPERTY TAX RATES.

They literally created the reasons why any county would have to raise property taxes and are trying to tell counties how they can set local tax rates.

And how much money has gone to vouchers in Forsyth County alone? Here’s another great resource: Public Schools First of NC.

Damn.