NC Lawmakers Push Leandro School Funding as Legislative Session Opens
Rep. Julie von Haefen files her seventh bill to fund North Carolina’s Leandro education plan as advocates rally for school funding at the legislature.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Rep. Julie von Haefen filed her seventh attempt to secure funding for the state’s Leandro education plan on Tuesday as dozens of public school advocates rallied outside the North Carolina General Assembly on the opening day of the 2026 short legislative session.
The Wake County Democrat’s latest proposal comes after the state Supreme Court’s April 2 decision shifted responsibility for funding the comprehensive school reform plan back to the legislature, ending judicial enforcement of the decades-long education lawsuit first filed in 1994.
“I’m tired of asking. I’m tired of filing these bills. I’m tired of standing at microphones begging this state to fund public education,” von Haefen said.
Advocates Highlight School Struggles
Approximately two dozen education advocates gathered outside the legislative building to press lawmakers for action on both Leandro funding and broader education priorities. Speakers detailed ongoing challenges facing North Carolina schools, including staffing shortages and growing disparities between districts.
Xavier Adams, a teacher at Orange High School and the 2022 North Carolina beginning teacher of the year, emphasized the unsustainable nature of current school funding. “Teachers should not and cannot continuously rely on a patchwork of nonrenewable grants,” Adams said, noting that schools increasingly depend on temporary funding streams to maintain programs while struggling to retain educators.
Morgan Taylor, a student advocate from Pitt County, reported that her district has lost nearly 70 teaching positions, resulting in larger class sizes and reduced extracurricular offerings. “It means bigger classes, less support and teachers who are doing everything they can, but are stretched,” Taylor said.
Repeated Legislative Challenges
Von Haefen’s current bill, like her six previous attempts, requires the state to fund the series of reforms outlined in the Leandro case. None of her prior proposals have received committee hearings in the Republican-controlled legislature.
The renewed push comes as advocates point to gaps in mental health services and special education staffing, with families increasingly bearing the burden as school resources remain inadequate. “Fully funding public schools should not be a debate. It should be a given,” Taylor said.
The same day as the rally, Gov. Josh Stein proposed a new state budget that includes approximately $2 billion in education funding, though specific details of the proposal were not immediately available.
Court Decision Shifts Responsibility
The recent Supreme Court ruling marked a change in the Leandro case’s trajectory, removing judicial oversight and placing the funding decision with state lawmakers. The comprehensive education plan has been the subject of legal battles for more than three decades.
As the short legislative session begins, education advocates continue to pressure lawmakers to address what they describe as chronic underfunding of public schools across the state. The session’s duration and specific agenda items remain to be determined by legislative leadership.
