Cumberland County Schools received $239,267,180 in federal “COVID” funds, of which 48% was spent on salaries and benefits.
That’s according to an analysis of North Carolina Department of Public Instruction data by the John Locke Foundation.
North Carolina has received about $6.2 billion in federal ‘COVID’ fund for K-12 schools since 2021, reported the foundation. About $5.8 billion of that amount has been spent, with a reported $473.8 million left unspent.
Wake County Schools spent the largest percentage of the funds on salary and benefits among the top five school districts in the state, at 76%. Guilford County Schools spent the smallest percentage, at 44%.
Despite this spending on salaries and benefits, some school districts in North Carolina are still asking for increased funding from local counties for pay increases.
Established in 1990, the John Locke Foundation is a nonprofit think tank based in Raleigh. The foundation focuses on public policy issues, advocating for free markets, limited government, and individual liberty. It is named after the English philosopher John Locke. The foundation’s work includes economic policy, education reform, healthcare, and government accountability.
How much federal “COVID” funding did North Carolina’s largest five school districts receive, and how much did they spend on salaries and benefits?
Source: John Lock Foundation / N.C. Department of Public Instruction
