Dear Public School Advocates,

Fall is here, Halloween is upon us, and election season is in full swing. Unfortunately, in North Carolina, the General Assembly is doing more tricking than treating when it comes to our public schools. And this November, they’re trying to make this season even spookier.

But at FACS, we refuse to sit idly by and watch more harmful cuts and policy decisions threaten the future of our public schools. Our kids’ futures. Our communities’ futures.

In this October newsletter, FACS has you covered! Learn about the constitutional amendments on the ballot this November and their potentially harmful (and intentional) impacts, not just on our public schools but on public services ranging from libraries to emergency services. We’ll also share FIVE easy actions you can take to celebrate and defend our public schools.

First, We Need to Talk About the Amendments on Our Ballot This November

This year, our state legislature is spending a record $705 million in taxpayer dollars on private school vouchers while continuing to shortchange our public schools. The Education Law Center gave North Carolina an F for school funding and an F for funding effort in its latest report. And, as you may remember, North Carolina is also one of the top states for corporations, thanks to policies passed by the NC General Assembly that continue to lower the corporate tax rate. That means potential revenue we desperately need to invest in North Carolina.

As a state, we already invest the smallest share of our wealth in public schools of any state. Now, two tax amendments are lurking on November’s ballot. Public schools need reliable funding, and these amendments would make it harder for state and local leaders to respond when our schools and communities need more support.

First: The Income Tax Cap Amendment

This proposed amendment would lower the maximum income tax rate allowed by the North Carolina Constitution from 7% to 3.5%.

It won’t lower your tax bill. The rate is already set to fall to 3.49% in 2027. What it would do is limit future lawmakers’ options for funding schools and other essential services. It would protect low tax rates for the wealthiest among us while potentially leaving our entire community with fewer resources.

Second: The Property Tax Levy Limit Amendment

This amendment would require the legislature to limit increases in local property tax revenue, restricting the amount of revenue our local officials could raise. The amendment itself leaves the details of that limit a mystery.

Local funding fills critical gaps in support for our schools and other community services because of inadequate funding from the NC General Assembly. In other states that have passed similar caps, community pools have closed, library hours have shrunk, and deep cuts have been made to emergency services.

That’s a frightening choice to lock into our Constitution.

So, What Can We Do About It?

You already know that, at FACS, we believe democracy is not a spectator sport. Here are FIVE easy steps you can take to make a difference

Want to Do Your Own Research? Check Out These Great Resources!

• NC Vote Against https://ncvoteagainst.org A coalition of organization from across North Carolina, including NCAE, the public schools staff union. 

• Public Schools First NC: NC Constitutional Amendments on Taxation and infographic. 

• The NC League of Women Voters: Three Constitutional Amendments. Three Lasting Decisions. 

• NC Budget and Tax Center: Tax Amendments Flyer (PDF)

• NC Budget and Tax Center: Budget and Tax Center Fact Sheet: Lowering the Income Tax Cap in the State Constitution is a Bad Deal for North Carolinians 

• NC Budget and Tax Center: Budget and Tax Center Fact Sheet: Limiting Property Tax Revenue in the State Constitution is a Bad Deal for North Carolinians

  
  

Speaking of Elections!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Asheville City Schools Board Candidate Forum! Students, families, educators, school staff, and community members came together to listen, ask questions, and learn more about the people seeking to serve on our school board.

A special thank-you to the Asheville City Schools Foundation for partnering with us to plan this event!

We’re also grateful to the candidates who participated: Gordon Grant, Liza English-Kelly, Daniel Shetley, Rebecca Strimer, and Sarah Thornburg. Each thoughtfully responded to community questions, participated in the lightning round, and shared closing remarks. Daria Datnoff was also invited but did not respond to our invitation.

We were especially grateful to the students from Asheville High School’s Student Government Association who helped shape and facilitate the evening. Their involvement was a powerful reminder that students should—and need to—have a voice in the future of their schools.

Although we couldn’t ask every question submitted, each one helped shape the conversation. All unanswered questions have been shared with the candidates so they can continue responding to community concerns.

You can watch most of the forum here! (candidate intros weren't recorded but all answers to specific questions are here!)

Final Forum Questions

1. How are students doing in Asheville City Schools, and what improvements are most urgent within the district?

2. Describe the relationship between the school board, superintendent, students, staff, community, and parents. What is currently working well in our district, and what could be improved?

3. As a community, Asheville increasingly needs and wants a district that prioritizes the needs of our Black students, multilingual learners, special education/EC learners, students’ mental health, and students experiencing the impacts of poverty.

At the same time, we understand that North Carolina ranks last in the country for public school funding. Enrollment is also trending downward in Asheville City Schools and across public schools overall, in part due to the growth of charter schools and private school vouchers. We know that local school budgets are more important than ever.

With these priorities in mind, what role does the school board play in the annual budget process? If elected, how would you engage in budget development while keeping these priorities at the forefront?

4. Public schools are a public good, and the elected school board is responsible for fulfilling that promise. If elected, how would you approach making difficult decisions, balancing competing needs, and ensuring that students, families, and educators have a true and authentic voice in the process?