Track Every Dollar · North Carolina

Wake County 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 $207 million10.0%
  • All other federal money$92.4 million44.6%
  • School meals$36.9 million17.8%
  • Special education (IDEA)$36.7 million17.7%
  • Title I: schools with many low-income families$29.5 million14.2%
  • Teacher and principal training (Title II)$5.6 million2.7%
  • Career and technical education$2.1 million1.0%
  • Student support and enrichment (Title IV-A)$2.0 million1.0%
  • English learners (Title III)$2.0 million1.0%
  • Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native education$50,000under 0.1%

Inside the federal total: $78.8 million of pandemic relief (ESSER and related funds), which ended in 2024.

State $1.2 billion55.9%
  • General formula aid$1.2 billion99.7%
  • Buildings and debt payments$3.1 million0.3%
  • School meals$214,000under 0.1%
  • All other state money$22,000under 0.1%
Local $709 million34.1%
  • From the parent city or county government$644 million90.8%
  • Tuition, fees, meals and other charges$35.5 million5.0%
  • Interest, rents, donations and other$29.5 million4.2%

Where it goes

  • Teaching (instruction)$1.3 billion53.5%
  • Support services Details$615 million25.2%
    • Student support: attendance, guidance, health and psychological services$127 million20.7%
    • School administration: principals' offices$125 million20.2%
    • Running and maintaining buildings$121 million19.7%
    • Student transportation$90.2 million14.7%
    • Business office and central services$79.9 million13.0%
    • Teacher support: curriculum, training, libraries$59.9 million9.7%
    • District administration: the board and superintendent's office$12.1 million2.0%
  • Buildings and equipment Details$372 million15.2%

    Of this, construction: $316 million.

  • Food service and other$61.8 million2.5%
  • Interest on debt$68.5 million2.8%
  • Community services and adult education$7.6 million0.3%
  • Payments to other school districts$9.2 million0.4%

Inside these totals: $1.2 billion in salaries and wages, $518 million in employee benefits. Long-term debt at year end: $2.3 billion.

The record

Day-to-day spending per student is current spending (teaching, support and food service) divided by fall enrollment (161,481). Amounts are reported by the school system to the U.S. Census Bureau. Census ID 160466, NCES ID 3704720.

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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