Stein proposes $4 billion bond for public school construction

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein is calling for a $4 billion bond for public school construction, mentioning the proposal in his state of the state address on March 12 and including it in his budget proposal unveiled yesterday.

“We need safer, healthier, and more modern schools,” said Stein during his state of the state address. “So tonight, I’m proposing a $4 billion public school bond. And if you’re not sure about it, let’s let the voters decide,” .

Stein pointed to issues like overcrowded classrooms, reliance on temporary trailers, and aging infrastructure in public schools.

“Our students also need safe and well-built schools,” Stein continued. “Unfortunately, too many of our schools are overcrowded or use trailers or have old leaking roofs and broken heating and air conditioning. It is 2025. We should not have to send kids home from school because the heat doesn’t work.”

“We also need upgrades for safety like cameras, fences around playgrounds, exterior locks, fewer access points to secure our school buildings from people who mean harm. Nothing is more important than keeping our kids safe,” Stein added.

The new spending would come even as public school enrollments have been declining. Traditional public school enrollments have dipped 3% since before the pandemic, while enrollments in alternatives like charter, private, and home schools have significantly increased.

Stein’s proposal came with a pointed critique of the Opportunity Scholarship Program, which allocates funds for low-income families to access private school tuition.

“We should not be taking money from our public school kids to pay wealthy parents sending their kids to unaccountable private schools to the tune of $7.5 billion over the next decade,” he said.

In local elections, North Carolina voters have approved a number of recent bond measures on K-12 schools, including a $120 million bond in Johnston County in 2024.

Digging further, the NC House approved legislation in 2019 for a nearly $2 billion school construction bond, but the measure never found traction in the NC Senate.