April 3, 2026—The North Carolina Supreme Court's decision to dismiss the Leandro v. State of North Carolina case does not change the State's consititutional oblication to provide every child with access to a sound basic education. That duty—clearly established in the orth Carolina Constitution and affirmed in prior rulings—remains fully in force.

We are concerned that the Court has stepped back from enforcing that obligation, leaving unresolved disparities in educational opportunity across the state, particularly in under-resourced communities. The longstanding record in this case makes clear that many students are still not receiving the education they are guaranteed. In fact, North Carolina falls last of the 50 states when measured by funding effort, i.e. the amount spend on public education versus state wealth (GDP).

Responsibility now rests with the General Assembly. At a time when schools face rising costs and ongoing resource gaps, lawmakers must act decisively to meet their constitutional obligations—by adequately funding public education, strengthening the educator workforce through competitive compensation, and ensuring all students have the resources they need to succeed.