As school choice expands across North Carolina and nationally, a pressing issue has become the need for new schools. To help meet the new demand, the school choice advocacy organization Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) announced Sept. 2 the launch of EduBuilder, a new program aimed at supporting the development and expansion of private schools across the state.
The initiative seeks to help school leaders and entrepreneurs overcome barriers to opening and growing schools to meet rising demand for educational options, according to a press release from PEFNC.
The effort comes amid increasing interest in school choice programs nationally and statewide. In Florida, for example, demand has outpaced supply in recent years, with approximately 50,000 students waitlisted for private schools under the state’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program in 2023, due to insufficient available seats.
In North Carolina, families’ interest in private and alternative educational models has grown, prompting calls for additional private school capacity. Renee Griffith, who has served as founder and executive director of Cornerstone Christian Academy and has a background in community leadership, was appointed to lead EduBuilder.
“Supporting the creation and expansion of private schools is essential to ensuring that school choice policies translate into real opportunities for families,” said PEFNC President Mike Long in a statement. “Our goal is to add thousands of private school seats across North Carolina to meet the increasing demand.”
Also in a statement, Griffith emphasized her commitment to expanding access, citing her experience in school founding and community advocacy. “My goal is to support school leaders and entrepreneurs in turning their visions into reality, so more families can access high-quality educational options,” she said.
National efforts to expand private school supply are also underway. The Drexel Fund, a nonprofit organization supported by philanthropic donors, provides grants for the creation and growth of private schools serving underserved communities. Such initiatives aim to address the supply shortages that threaten to hinder the effectiveness of school choice reforms.
Advocates note that as policies around school choice become more widespread, the importance of ensuring sufficient private school capacity grows. Without enough seats, families may be unable to fully benefit from available programs, particularly low- and middle-income households seeking alternatives to traditional public schools.
In addition to a large network of public charter schools, North Carolina has 952 private schools, according to the latest data from the NC Department of Administration. That’s in addition to three school choice programs. The largest, the Opportunity Scholarship Program, now serves more than 80,000 students. Over 25% of the state’s K-12 students now attend charter, private, or home schools.
A recent report from the John Locke Foundation, “Room to Grow: Evaluating Private School Readiness for School Choice Demand in North Carolina,” pointed to issues with private school capacity in the state. Private school enrollment has increased by nearly 32,000 students since 2020, but only 179 schools have opened, and most scholarship recipients are already enrolled in private schools rather than new entrants. This raises questions about the capacity and resources of private schools to meet growing demand, according to the report.
Surveys revealed that private schools in North Carolina generally have about 21% unused capacity, and over 90% of school leaders anticipate increased demand. But plans to expand are often hindered by funding shortages, regulatory barriers, and staffing challenges.