Track Every Dollar
North Carolina: every school dollar
Where North Carolina's public school money comes from, where it goes, what Washington sends, and how the state spends its lottery money. Select any line for more.
- Public school money, 2023-24$19.9 billion
- Spent per student, day to day$12,995U.S.: $17,619
- Students1,396,880116 school systems
- Lottery money to education$1.1 billionFY2025
Where the money comes from
$19.9 billion in the 2023-24 school year. Select federal, state or local to see every line.
Federal $3.5 billion17.4%
Inside the federal total: $1.4 billion of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.
State $11.4 billion57.1%
Local $5.1 billion25.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file
Where it goes
$20.9 billion spent. Select support services for every line.
Inside these totals: $10.5 billion in salaries and wages, $4.4 billion in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $8.6 billion.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024. School year 2023-24. census.gov the data file
Spending per student over time
Not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 20. summary tables
What Washington committed
Department of Education money committed for use in North Carolina in fiscal year 2025: $2.8 billion. The programs below include money from Agriculture (school meals) and Health and Human Services (Head Start), and college aid (Pell).
Why this differs from the federal line above: that line is what North Carolina's schools received in the 2023-24 school year (Census). This one is what Washington committed in a later federal year, including college aid, which schools never receive.
| Program | What it is | North Carolina | Share of the national total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pell Grants | College grants to students with financial need | $1.1 billion | 2.8% |
| School lunch | National School Lunch Program (Department of Agriculture) | $939 million | 3.4% |
| Title I | Grants to schools with many students from low-income families | $523 million | 2.9% |
| Head Start | Early childhood programs (Department of Health and Human Services) | $407 million | 3.5% |
| Special education (IDEA) | Grants to states for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 21 | $406 million | 2.9% |
| Title II, teachers | Supporting effective instruction: teacher and principal training | $68.6 million | 3.2% |
| Career and technical education | Perkins basic grants to states | $48.8 million | 3.4% |
| Title IV-A | Student support and academic enrichment grants | $36.8 million | 2.7% |
| After school (21st Century) | 21st Century Community Learning Centers | $35.8 million | 2.7% |
| Federal Work-Study | Part-time jobs for college students with need | $31.2 million | 2.7% |
| College opportunity grants (SEOG) | Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants | $22.6 million | 2.5% |
| English learners (Title III) | English language acquisition grants | $21.3 million | 2.4% |
| Impact Aid | Payments to districts with federal land or military families | $19.7 million | 1.3% |
| Special education, preschool | Preschool grants for children with disabilities, ages 3 to 5 | $11.2 million | 2.8% |
Source: USAspending.gov, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Federal fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), money committed (obligated) by state where it is used. usaspending.gov
How is North Carolina spending the education lottery money?
Net revenues and 50% of unclaimed prizes are transferred to the Education Lottery Fund, which the General Assembly appropriates for education-related purposes. The lottery began in 2006.
What the law says
The promise: A guideline of at least 38% of total annual revenues to the Education Lottery Fund, which the Commission adheres to 'to the extent practicable'.
"At least thirty-eight percent (38%) of the total annual revenues, as described in this Chapter, shall be transferred as provided in G.S. 18C-164."
N.C. Gen. Stat. 18C-162(a)(2); 18C-164 ncleg.gov
- Tickets sold$6.6 billion p. 13
- Prizes 76%$5.0 billion p. 13
- Retailers 4%$269 million p. 13
- Running the lottery 4%$257 million p. 51
- To education 16%$1.1 billion p. 51
Of every dollar of North Carolina lottery tickets sold in FY2025, 16 cents reached education.
What it paid for, FY2025
Payments made during the year. They include money earned in earlier years, so they do not add up to the year's total sent to education.
- School Construction$608 million p. 58
- Non-Instructional Support Personnel$386 million p. 58
- Prekindergarten$78.3 million p. 58
- College Scholarships$45.8 million p. 58
- Other (school districts transportation, UNC need-based aid, digital learning, and teacher assistants)$21.4 million p. 58
Lottery money to education by year
Since 2006: $12.4 billion p. 36 to education in total.
What auditors found
"The overall percentage contributed to the public schools, for example, has gone from 23% in FY 2023, to 20% FY 2024, to 16% in FY 2025."
"Total Revenues to the State of North Carolina $ 1,076,325 16% of Total Annual Revenue"
"From FY 2023 to FY 2025, the NCEL reported gross sales increased from $4.3 billion to $6.6 billion. However, the percentage of sales transferred to the Education Fund fell from 23% in FY 2023 to 16% in FY 2025."
Every school system in North Carolina
116 school systems reported to the Census Bureau for 2023-24. See each one's money in and money out.
The record
- School money: Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finances: Fiscal Year 2024, U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances. The district totals for North Carolina were added up and checked against the Census state table on seven totals. census.gov
- Federal money: Federal education spending, fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025). Money committed, by the state where it is used. usaspending.gov
- Lottery: North Carolina Education Lottery Financial Statements As of and for the Years Ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 and Reports of Independent Auditor, North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (Cherry Bekaert, under contract), 2025-12-29. auditor.nc.gov
- Lottery: North Carolina Education Lottery: Factors Affecting Transfers to Education, Performance Audit Report, North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, 2026-09-08. auditor.nc.gov
- Lottery: NC Education Lottery Financial Statement Audit Released, North Carolina Office of the State Auditor, 2025-12-29. auditor.nc.gov
- Lottery: N.C. Gen. Stat. 18C-162, Allocation of revenues, North Carolina General Assembly. ncleg.gov
- Lottery: N.C. Gen. Stat. 18C-164, Transfer of net revenues, North Carolina General Assembly. ncleg.gov
- Checked November 2, 2026. How we track it · Report an error
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Track Every Dollar
How is North Carolina spending the education lottery money?
- Public school money, 2023-24$19.9 billion
- Spent per student$12,995
- Lottery money to education, FY2025$1.1 billion
- Of each lottery dollar sold16 cents to education
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