Increasing Student Supports

Meeting Industry Standards for School Support Staff
WHY IT’S IMPORANT: Nurses, librarians, counselors, psychologists, and social workers boost achievement, address ACEs.
RECOMMENDATION: Meet nationally-recognized industry standards for support
COST: $655.2 million

Modify the Low Wealth Formula to Direct State Revenue to Communities that Need It Most
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: The Low Wealth allotment is directs additional state funds to low wealth districts. Additional resources insufficient to close performance gaps.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Expand eligibility to 110% of state avg. wealth
Boost supplemental funding to 110% of the statewide average local revenue per student
COST: $131 million

Increase Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Funding (DSSF) Allotment to Fulfill Leandro’s Unmet Promise
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: DSSF provides supplemental funding based on population of disadvantaged students. In 2004 Judge Manning said DSSF needs to be $223 million to adequately support disadvantaged students.
RECOMMENDATION: Meet the state’s Leandro obligations, adjusted for inflation
COST: $201 million brings total DSSF funding to $296 million

Restore Funding for Supplies and Textbooks
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT [CHARTS]
RECOMMENDATION: 15% above pre-Recession levels
COST: Textbooks $65.2 million; supplies $73.8 million

Increase Support for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Programs
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: NC has nearly 100,000 English learners and current funding is leaving too many behind
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Eliminate eligibility floor
Eliminate funding cap
Account for linguistic diversity
Permit LEP funds to be used for LEP teacher salary supplements
COST: $108.6 million

Modify Children with Disabilities (CWD) Allotment
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: NC has nearly 190,000 students with disabilities. Funding is capped at 12.75% of enrollment and has consistently lagged recommended levels
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Eliminate funding cap
Boost funding to 2.3 times average student
Explore funding based on the level of intervention
COST: Eliminating cap: $41 million; Boosting funding: $352 million

Make NC Pre-K Universal
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: There are proven benefits through at least 8th grade. Currently serving just 47% of eligible 4-year olds; 25% of all 4-year olds.
RECOMMENDATION: Create no-cost NC Pre-K slots for 70 percent of age-eligible children
COST: $316 million

Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT: 21 percent of North Carolina children live in households that are food insecure. There is overwhelming evidence that child nutrition programs boost student performance. NC 1 of 18 states providing no supplemental child nutrition funds.
RECOMMENDATION: Free breakfast and lunch for all students
COST: $168 million