Track Every Dollar · North Carolina

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

Every dollar this school system reported for the 2023-24 school year: where it came from and where it went.

Where the money comes from

Select federal, state or local to see every line.

Federal $369 million17.5%
  • All other federal money$190 million51.3%
  • School meals$62.5 million16.9%
  • Title I: schools with many low-income families$56.7 million15.4%
  • Special education (IDEA)$46.8 million12.7%
  • Teacher and principal training (Title II)$5.7 million1.6%
  • English learners (Title III)$3.1 million0.8%
  • Career and technical education$2.4 million0.6%
  • Student support and enrichment (Title IV-A)$2.1 million0.6%
  • After-school programs (21st Century)$236,000under 0.1%
  • Impact Aid$58,000under 0.1%
  • Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native education$10,000under 0.1%

Inside the federal total: $162 million of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.

State $1.0 billion49.0%
  • General formula aid$1.0 billion97.2%
  • Compensatory and basic skills programs$13.5 million1.3%
  • Paid by the state for the district (benefits and other costs)$9.7 million0.9%
  • Buildings and debt payments$5.7 million0.5%
  • All other state money$264,000under 0.1%
  • School meals$82,000under 0.1%
Local $707 million33.5%
  • From the parent city or county government$632 million89.4%
  • Interest, rents, donations and other$49.2 million7.0%
  • Tuition, fees, meals and other charges$25.5 million3.6%

Where it goes

  • Teaching (instruction)$1.2 billion48.9%
  • Support services Details$604 million24.6%
    • Running and maintaining buildings$158 million26.2%
    • Student support: attendance, guidance, health and psychological services$111 million18.3%
    • Student transportation$106 million17.5%
    • School administration: principals' offices$90.1 million14.9%
    • Business office and central services$64.3 million10.7%
    • Teacher support: curriculum, training, libraries$54.4 million9.0%
    • District administration: the board and superintendent's office$20.2 million3.4%
  • Buildings and equipment Details$505 million20.5%

    Of this, construction: $465 million.

  • Food service and other$78.0 million3.2%
  • Interest on debt$40.2 million1.6%
  • Community services and adult education$8.1 million0.3%
  • Payments to other school districts$20.8 million0.8%

Inside these totals: $1.1 billion in salaries and wages, $443 million in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $1.3 billion.

The record

Day-to-day spending per student is current spending (teaching, support and food service) divided by fall enrollment (144,116). Amounts are reported by the school system to the U.S. Census Bureau. Census ID 186760, NCES ID 3702970.

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

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