On Monday, April 28, Action Greensboro unveiled its “2025 Pre-K to 12 Public Education Report,” which is meant to be “a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of the current state of education in Guilford County.”
The report highlights the major challenges currently facing the county’s public school system while offering what Action Greensboro calls “a clear-eyed roadmap for improving outcomes for every child, regardless of zip code.”
This wide-ranging report released this week looks at things like early childhood access, academic performance, school funding, teacher workforce trends, enrollment shifts and student support services.
Cecelia Thompson, the executive director of Action Greensboro, said the extensive report should lead to action by area leaders and those who care about the schools.
“This isn’t just a report for parents and educators – it’s a call to action for everyone who cares about the future of Guilford County,” Thompson said this week. “Public education is foundational to our economy, our workforce, and our community identity. Whether or not you have school-age children, our schools shape the success of the entire region.”
The report is being released in the same week that the Guilford County Board of Commissioners is meeting in a work session to discuss how much funding the county should give to Guilford County Schools in the coming fiscal 2025-2026 county budget.
Guilford County’s contribution to the school system already takes up roughly 45 percent of the county’s budget each year – and the schools have asked for an additional $44 million in funding this year. That ask will not be answered by the commissioners – or, rather, the answer will be “no” – but the board will no doubt find some additional funding for the school system for the coming fiscal year.
Some critics of the school system argue that Guilford County has been funding the schools very, very generously in recent years but that money is not bringing about the needed returns when it comes to educational outcomes.
The entire report is available for viewing by googling greensboro.org/actiongreensboro; however, here are a few of the study’s key findings regarding the county’s schools:
- Only 30.9% of children ages 0 to 5 are enrolled in licensed childcare, despite nearly 70% having working parents.
- Guilford County Schools teacher attrition has surged to 18.3%, which is the highest increase among peer districts.
- Enrollment in traditional public schools has declined 7.4% over the last decade as charter, private, and homeschool alternatives have grown.
- Critical support services like mental health and ‘high-dosage’ tutoring are at risk due to expiring federal pandemic relief funds.
A summary of the report also listed the following areas of “good news” when it comes to the school system:
- Kindergarten students in GCS showed remarkable literacy gains: benchmark proficiency jumped from 33% at the beginning of the year to 73% by year’s end – a 40-point increase that outpaced national growth.
- Guilford County Schools boasts the highest high school graduation rate among peer communities in the state.
- In 2023–2024, GCS students took over 10,000 college courses through early/middle colleges and the College and Career Promise program, hopefully strengthening their preparation for post-secondary success.
- Students also earned 10,778 industry-recognized credentials in school year 2023-2024, a 263% increase over 2020–2021. These certifications span 15 national career clusters and validate specialized skills that make students more competitive in the job market and make them better prepared for higher education.
The report also provides actionable solutions like expanding access to affordable early childcare, investing in teacher pay and retention, sustaining essential student services, and identifying new local funding sources.
“We urge every resident to read the report, reflect on its findings, and consider how they can support strong, equitable education for all,” Thompson stated in a plea for school system support. “Whether you’re a business leader, voter, volunteer, or neighbor, the future of our schools is a shared responsibility, and a shared opportunity.”
Great to see some positive news mixed in about public schools.
Funny !!
You should be a comedian. Really.
The report was released to persuade the County Commissioners to pony up more money for failing schools, and the property taxpayers to pay higher taxes for failing schools.
Only 30.9% of children ages 0 to 5 are enrolled in licensed childcare, despite nearly 70% having working parents. WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING. CHILDCARE IS BASICALLY BABYSITTING. WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FAILING SCHOOLS?
Enrollment in traditional public schools has declined 7.4% over the last decade as charter, private, and homeschool alternatives have grown. SO WHY ARE OUR PROPERTY TAXES SO HIGH AND WHY IS THE SCHOOL BOARD WANTING A NEW MULTI MILLION DOLLAR SCHOOL AT BOYLSTON AND N. BUNKER HILL RD?
Critical support services like mental health and ‘high-dosage’ tutoring are at risk due to expiring federal pandemic relief funds. DO WHATEVER WAS DONE BEFORE COVID WHEN THERE WERE NO FEDERAL DOLLARS.
Kindergarten students in GCS showed remarkable literacy gains: benchmark proficiency jumped from 33% at the beginning of the year to 73% by year’s end – a 40-point increase that outpaced national growth. SINCE WHEN HAVE READING AND WRITING STARTED IN KINDERGARTEN? REGARDLESS, STUDENTS BEGIN TO LOSE GROUND AFTER A YEAR OR TWO AND CONTNUES TO DECINE.
Guilford County Schools boasts the highest high school graduation rate among peer communities in the state. GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PERSON CAN READ OR WRITE. THERE IS A REAL THING OF JUST PASSING ALONG. THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IS NOT A VALID MEASURE OF SUCCESS.
Guilford County schools should not receive one more cent from Guilford County property owners. No more property taxes. Eliminate property taxes and make the current property taxpayers equal to retirement communities, country clubs, Woolworth Museum, churches, synagogues, mosques, and any other property owned by a religious group.
“Only 30.9% of children ages 0 to 5 are enrolled in licensed childcare, despite nearly 70% having working parents.”
The public school system shouldn’t pay for “licensed childcare” of children ages 0 to 5. We are not a nanny state where people have kids and the government raises them until they become worker drones. We should not think it’s a virtuous ideal to attain as a country. It’s an evil goal. Parents are responsible for raising their kids. I’m sure that most of the kids not in “licensed childcare” stay with family members or friends who are giving them early education that’s as valuable, if not more so, than the ones licensed by the state.
“… teacher attrition has surged to 18.3%…” I can tell you from personal experience that this can’t be attributed to a lack of funding or low pay. There are many variables at work here (and no, I don’t have the time or care about reading the report). I do know that more money will not solve the problem. An attitude adjustment by members of the School Board and City Council, as well as the County Commissioners and State Board of Education, is all that is needed.
“Enrollment in traditional public schools has declined 7.4%…” Hmmm, see above. Also, what Mr. TERMLIMITS doesn’t understand is that tax money helps fund charter schools; it helps pay for materials, testing, and reports that the state requires homeschoolers and private schools to send in periodically; it pays for data collection from these groups for reports like this and all sorts of other stuff. So it’s not saved because kids aren’t in a public school, “the money follows the kid”.
“…support services like mental health and ‘high-dosage’ tutoring are at risk due to expiring federal pandemic relief funds.” Good. We don’t need our schools providing mental health services to our kids. If kids need mental health services, they should go to professional mental health counselors, like the kind that are referred to by doctors, not the school system. A school system that’s messed up and failing is not the “professional” who should be referring someone for mental health counseling. The same can be said for “high-dosage” tutoring, whatever that is.
Those services were put in place during COVID as temporary assistant services because of issues brought on by remote learning. They weren’t meant to be long-term or to be funded permanently by local taxpayers. If mental health services are needed, health insurance pays for that already (Medicaid also covers, as well as County services). If tutoring is needed, the schools provide after-school help, as do private tutors, and parents can assist their kids with homework, as in the olden days. No kid should be deprived of arguing late into the night with their parent over math problems.
School issues have little to do with funding and everything to do with the people running the system. Until personal responsibility is required of students, parents, teachers, and administrators, nothing will change. All the money in the country, the world will still result in failure. People have to decide for themselves that they want to be respectful, listen, learn, work, succeed, and move on. Only then will graduating actually mean something meaningful once again.
Agreed.
TERMLIMITS,
You have adopted the the best technique to counter the propaganda. Take their own words and use them as proof of their attempts at deception.
Your final paragraph hits the bullseye for what is the best solution.
Again, BRAVO SIR! Continue to show them for the deceptive socialists they are.
howbout if people perform local, verifiable, ‘public service’ of ‘X’ hours/month for a reduced ‘tax’ ? i agree that ‘houses of ritual’ should pay an infrastructure tax that motivates them to use their empty buildings more. they don’t ‘milk their cows’ – a sin of waste ?
No additional school funds. Reduce your expensive overhead of assistant principals and assistants to assistants. All you need is a little DOGE.
The US Government education system isn’t about educating children, it’s about the creation and maintenance of millions of cushy well paid jobs for people who are inadequate and incompetent, and who duly vote Democratic to keep the whole bandwagon going. They know which side their bread is buttered.
“Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach”.
I agree. I would add one thing: All government jobs, not just the education system.
Agreed.
MR. Morris I resent the comment made “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach”. I taught school in Va. Pittsylvania County from 1982 – 2016 CTE Agriculture grades 8-12 plus after my 2016 retirement 30 years at the same High School which was the same I attended as a student. I continue now as a as needed substitute teacher in my tenure I often taught students of students and even students of students students My classes covered Agriculture Sciences as well as practical Agriculture Engineering construction, electricity, wood working, arc and gas welding. Leadership Training is an integral part of my program.
That being said many of my students have entered the workforce in may levels as well as continuing on to higher education. They are Teachers, Business Owners/ Operators, Elected Office Holders serving communities.
When our paths cross I often get ” Thank You ” from them for their being prepared for the real world.
To which Sir, I say to you I can do and did do and continue to do.
—– I didn’t originate the saying; it’s a long standing and well used aphorism with a ring of truth to it.
I can understand why teachers would take exception to it, but that doesn’t diminish its veracity.
The reduction of the number of students (customers) due to the quality of the product ( the education provided) should be the reason the budget is cut, not increased. Consolidate and close a few schools. Or perhaps improve the quality of the education and maybe the students won’t leave for the private, charter, and home schooling options.
Interesting that there is no mention of test scores where they are today vs 5 years ago and 10 years ago. Funny that graduation rates are mentioned but no end of grade testing scores for those graduated is posted or released. Also interesting that they don’t mention the lower rates of children going to public schools because of there is a much lower birth rates now than there was 10 years ago but the GCS keeps asking for more money to fund the building of new schools. It’s also very interesting that given a choice of the type of schools to attend nearly 10% of the population will choose another school type that the public schools. These other types of schools are booked solid now so I bet it would be even higher if the other types of schools had more space. Clearly the public school model doesn’t work and needs to be fixed and throwing money at it is not the answer as we tax payers have been doing this for a long time.
I am told that the increase in graduation rates can be attributed to A LOWERING OF GRADUATION STANDARDS!
I agree with that.
Proof positive that you CAN put lipstick on a pig.
Any drop in traditional school participation is a clear sign that something is broken. Sadly the School Superintendent is making the rounds putting a guilt trip on anyone who will listen. More money, more money, more money, is a sad excuse for failure, and our School Board has indeed failed.
School Superintendent, Annie Oakley, is paid almost $300,000 annually. Of course, this does not include benefits. An additional 30% of salary could easily be added to the base salary. Now Oakley’s salary is zeroing in $400,000 annually. See why government jobs are so attractive? What exactly does a school superintendent do, not by definition up in actuality?
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That’s obscene, just obscene. I don’t want to hear any more crap about “underpaid educators”.
Just that one person is costing us $8,000 a week. Every week.
The parasites are doing very well for themselves, aren’t they?
Attrition @18.3%. Despite higher population, enrollment down 7.4%. You can’t ‘splain that without stating the obvious. Fixit? Teach how to think, not what to think, in our Government schools. Money will not fixit.
Name something our govt does well.
They are great at screwing the taxpayers
Screw the people paying the taxes. They’re professionals at that on ALL levels.
Uh, yeah. Anything positive?
How about the County stop funding “mysterious non profits” and point all of that money to the schools. Every year there are many nonprofits funded that even the Rhino nor the Greensboro or High Point City Councils can find. And most are proposed by Chairman Alston himself. Just a thought.
Greensboro Morning Show covers the report in much detail.
Listen to podcast at
https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/e62b169f-cf57-4fdc-9bd6-3da26325bd47/audio
Very, Very Generous Funding? Let’s put in context.
Key Points
– Research suggests GCS funding has increased recently but may not be “very, very generous” compared to peers like Durham.
– It seems likely that past underfunding, with over $2 billion in facility needs, affects current performance.
– The evidence leans toward GCS relying heavily on federal funds, which may not fully meet student needs.
Funding Levels
Guilford County Schools (GCS) have seen funding increases, with per-pupil spending at $14,700 for 2023-24, above the state average of about $12,352. However, this is below Durham County Schools ($16,054) and the national average, suggesting it’s not “very, very generous” compared to some peers or national standards.
Historical Context
Historically, GCS faced underfunding, with over $2 billion in facility needs, including $800 million in deferred maintenance, and lower teacher salaries compared to peers. This past neglect likely impacts current educational outcomes, as the district works to catch up.
Adequacy for Needs
GCS serves a high-needs population, with 80% minority enrollment and 49.9% economically disadvantaged students. While funding has risen, reliance on federal funds (26.8% of total) and lower local funding per pupil ($4,132 vs. Durham’s $5,740) suggest it may not fully address these needs, especially with expiring federal support.
Current Funding Levels and Comparisons
GCS’s funding for the 2023-24 school year shows per-pupil expenditure at $14,700, a figure derived from the report . This amount is above the state average of approximately $12,352, based on 2022-23 data from EducationData.org, and ranks second highest among five peer districts, including Forsyth ($13,539), Charlotte-Mecklenburg ($12,244), and Wake ($13,123). However, it falls below Durham County Schools at $16,054, indicating variability among peers.
Nationally, public school spending per pupil was $15,633 in FY 2022, according to U.S. Census Bureau, and likely higher for 2023-24 due to inflation. Thus, GCS’s $14,700 is below this national benchmark, suggesting that while funding is robust within North Carolina, it may not be “very, very generous” on a broader scale.
The composition of funding is critical: GCS receives 26.8% from federal sources, higher than the state average of 19.9%, as noted in WFMY News 2. Federal funding per pupil is $3,134, reflecting a high percentage of low-income students, but local funding per pupil is only $4,132, compared to Durham’s $5,740. This reliance on federal funds, often restricted to specific programs, and lower local investment suggest that GCS’s funding, while increased, may not be as generous as critics claim.
Historical Funding Trends and Past Underfunding
Over the past five years, GCS has seen steady increases: state revenue rose by 10.52% from $457.5 million in 2019-20 to $511.3 million in 2023-24, and local funding grew by 20.30% from $207.4 million to $260.2 million. Federal grants fluctuated, peaking at $169.7 million in 2021-22 due to pandemic relief but decreasing to $130.2 million in 2022-23 and rising again to $174.6 million in 2023-24, highlighting the temporary nature of these funds.
However, historical underfunding is evident. The report notes over $2 billion in facility needs, including $800 million in deferred maintenance, indicating past neglect of infrastructure. Teacher salary supplements in GCS ($7,529 in 2023-24) are lower than in peer districts like Charlotte-Mecklenburg ($9,797) and Wake ($9,828), contributing to high teacher attrition (18.3% in 2022-23). This historical underinvestment likely affects current performance, as the district works to address long-standing deficits.
Adequacy Relative to Student Needs
GCS serves a high-needs population, with 80% minority enrollment and 49.9% economically disadvantaged students, as per U.S. News Education. The district’s third-grade reading proficiency is at 49.6%, below pre-pandemic levels, and enrollment has dropped by 7.41% over the past decade, reducing funding tied to student counts. Recent budget requests, such as a $44 million increase for 2025-26, highlight ongoing needs for teacher pay, security, and offsetting charter school costs, as reported in WFDD.
The report suggests exploring new revenue sources, like a dedicated education sales tax, to address gaps. Expiring federal funds, which peaked at $169.6 million in 2021-22, threaten student support services like tutoring and mental health programs, further straining resources. Given these challenges, current funding, while increased, may not be adequate to meet the district’s needs, especially with a heavy debt service burden ($99.3 million in FY 2025) limiting funds for classrooms.
Comparative Analysis with Peer Districts
Table 1 below summarizes per-pupil funding for GCS and selected peer districts for 2023-24, based on the report:
District Per-Pupil Funding (2023-24) Federal Funding per Pupil Local Funding per Pupil
Durham County Schools $16,054 – $5,740
Guilford County Schools $14,700 $3,134 $4,132
Forsyth County Schools $13,539 – –
Charlotte-Mecklenburg $12,244 – –
Wake County Schools $13,123 – –
(Note: Some data for peers are incomplete in the report, but trends show GCS above most except Durham.)
GCS ranks second among peers but is notably below Durham, which has higher local funding. North Carolina’s overall ranking—48th in per-pupil funding nationally, $4,655 below the average, as per NC Newsline—further contextualizes GCS’s position. While $14,700 is high within the state, it reflects the state’s general underfunding rather than exceptional generosity.
Implications for Educational Outcomes
Critics argue that increased funding has not brought expected returns in educational outcomes, such as reading proficiency. However, the evidence suggests multiple factors at play: historical underfunding, reliance on temporary federal funds, and challenges like declining enrollment and high teacher attrition. Past underfunding, particularly in infrastructure and teacher pay, likely contributes to current performance gaps, as the district is still addressing these deficits.
Recent efforts, like a $2 billion bond for school improvements WXII12, aim to address infrastructure, but operational funding remains strained. The district’s request for additional county funds, including for teacher raises and security, as reported in Greensboro News & Record, underscores ongoing adequacy concerns.
Conclusion
In summary, GCS has not been funded “very, very generously” in recent years, despite funding increases. Its per-pupil spending of $14,700 is above the state average but below Durham and national benchmarks, with heavy reliance on federal funds and lower local investment compared to peers. Historical underfunding, with significant facility needs and lower teacher pay, likely explains why performance is not improving as hoped, as the district continues to make up for lost ground. Stakeholders in Greensboro should recognize these complexities when evaluating funding adequacy and advocating for future investments.
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When you rob Peter to pay Paul, you can count on the support of Paul.
thank you – that took a lot of knowledge & effort & like teaching low pay.
The primary thread that runs through your comments is funding for schools. Your comparison of Guilford County per pupil spending with national averages is skewed and leads to a biased conclusion since many school districts spend far more than NC schools. Take Washington D.C. schools for example. The spending there is way off the charts, so one would expect that the students in that school system would be performing at a top level. That is not the case. I would look at how the D.C. school system is spending the money. The same is true for Guilford County. Don’t look outward for more money. Look inward at administration and what is happening in the school system. Phones in classrooms, lack of discipline because of fear of consequences, curriculum, inferior teachers because the better teachers are leaving, and lack of support from parents. Money will not fix any of these problems. And fixing these problems is difficult. It is much easier to continue throwing money into the problem. Guilford County property taxpayer money. Since there appears to be disparity in school systems based on your comments, turn the school system over to the state. Find an alternative way to fund schools. It is unfair to expect Guilford County property taxpayers to fund schools when retirement homes, country clubs, the Woolworth Museum, churches, synagogues, mosques, renters (only to a very, very small extent), pay no property taxes. I am curious to know who you represent, the School Board or the County Commissioners?
luv that cartoon banner: students holding hands as they march off to school . . . boy with condom in pocket . . . teacher wins in that scenario ?