Budget Update
Wake Commissioners unanimously approved their FY2022 budget on June 7, 2021. The adopted FY22 budget included a $28.2 million increase for WCPSS.
School system leaders asked for $16.3M for long-range needs and $11.9M in recurring funds. In 2020, commissioners approved $11.9M in one-time funding for WCPSS. This decision, as part of the county’s FY2022 total allotment to WCPSS, makes that $11.9M recurring. The county budget also includes $350,000 to launch Wake ThreeSchool, a new Pre-K program for 3-year-olds. Consistent with the passing of their FY2021 budget last year, commissioners were committed to passing a budget without a tax increase. Commissioners cited the global pandemic’s negative financial impacts on many Wake citizens as justification for avoiding a tax increase. While it’s true many citizens experienced financial hardship because of COVID, it’s important to note that county tax revenues came in well above what was expected at the start of the pandemic. The combination of these robust tax revenues and the benefits of millions of dollars in federal stimulus money has put Wake’s financial health in very good standing.
The Wake School Board unanimously approved their 2021-2022 budget on May 4, 2021. The proposal included a request of $28.2 million in additional funding from county commissioners. Find the full budget document here.
Unfortunately, state lawmakers in the legislature continue to divert millions more tax dollars to the privatization of schools (for-profit charters, private school vouchers), leaving public schools underfunded. Our teachers and students continue to be asked to do more with less. Our county governments continue to be burdened with supplementing funds that have historically been provided by the state. We will continue to advocate for necessary public education funding at the state level.
FY 2023 Budget Timeline
The County Manager and the WCPSS Superintendent are developing their FY 2023 budget proposals now. Important dates*:
- March 28 & April 4, 2022 Commissioners Budget Retreats
- April 5, 2022 Superintendent Moore Presents WCPSS Budget Proposal
- April 19, 2022 School Board Budget Committee Meeting
- May 2, 2022 County Manager Presents Budget Proposal
- May 16, 2022 Public Hearings for County Budget (2pm & 7pm)
- May 23, 2022 Commissioners Budget Work Session
- June 6, 2022 Commissioners Vote on Budget*more dates to come for WCPSS related meetings and public hearings
The State Budget & WCPSS
State funds greatly impact local school districts. The NC General Assembly has been pushing more and more funding burdens down to the county level since 2013, resulting in larger requests to the County Commissioners to help pay for these unfunded mandates. NC lawmakers’ 2021-23 Biennium Budget impact on school funding can be found on our budget page.
What’s the WCPSS Budget Cycle?
- The Superintendent prepares an annual budget and submits it with a budget message to the Board of Education (BOE) no later than April 15.
- The BOE holds at least one public hearing on the proposed budget prior to final action.
- The BOE submits the entire approved budget to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) no later than May 15 (or such later date as may be fixed by the BOC.) The BOC completes action on the school budget on or before July 1, or such later date as may be agreeable to the BOE.
- If adoption of the budget is delayed until after July 1, the Board makes interim appropriations for the purpose of paying salaries and the usual ordinary expenses of the school system for the interval between the beginning of the fiscal year and the adoption of the budget resolution.
What You Can Do to Advocate for Funding
- Be informed! Review the various proposed budgets from both the Wake County Commissioners and the Wake Board of Education.
- Speak up at Board of Education meetings and public hearings
- Attend a Board of Commissioners budget presentation, participate in a public hearing
