House Bill 420: Sound Basic Education for Every Child
Funds our public schools so every child in NC can learn
HB 420 Summary: The bill provides funding for K-12 public education and early education aligned with years six and seven of the Leandro Plan, so North Carolina can meet its constitutional requirement to provide a sound basic education for every child in the state.
Funding for public education in the Leandro Plan addresses critical needs in our state’s school system
The NC Supreme Court ruled in the 1997 Leandro decision that the state was not providing every child with the “sound basic education” guaranteed in the state constitution. The 2019 Leandro Action Plan provides a roadmap for making that guarantee real, but those recommendations have never been fully funded. HB 420 makes policy changes and provides funding for the next biennium as laid out in that plan, including:
- Qualified and diverse teachers and principals in every school, through pay boosts, recruitment, and professional development
- Shifts in school performance measures to assess schools more holistically
- Expanded early education services, including higher pay for educators and greater affordability for families
Investments are targeted at the schools and kids who need the most support
Some of the biggest investments in HB 420 focus on making school funding more equitable and supporting students with the greatest needs. This includes more funding for lower-wealth counties, English language learners, free school meals, and children with disabilities.
Reverses course on years of underinvestment in public schools
North Carolina is currently one of the lowest ranked states — in 49th place — for public education “funding effort,” a measure of funding for schools as a share of the state economy overall.[1] HB 420 would put the state back on track to funding the great public education system that every child deserves.
More about HB 420
- Appropriates $4.4 billion in recurring funds for FY26 and $5.3 billion for FY27.
- About 80% of funds support K-12 public schools, and 20% of funds support early childhood education.
- In addition to appropriating state funds, the bill puts a $2 billion bond for renovating and building public school facilities on the ballot in the 2028 election.
[1] https://edlawcenter.org/research/making-the-grade-2024/
