North Carolina Ranked Last in School Enrollment

The state received a zero score and an F grade for failing to implement statewide public school open enrollment policies.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Secondary Education

North Carolina Ranked Last in School Enrollment

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Should students in your area be allowed to attend any public school regardless of zone?

North Carolina received a score of zero out of 100 points for its open enrollment policies, earning an F grade in a recent Reason Foundation report. The state currently lacks any statewide open enrollment law, leaving transfer decisions entirely to individual local school boards.

Why it matters

The state's lack of a codified open enrollment statute means districts are not required to publish student transfer data and may charge tuition for incoming students. While the state has no formal policy, 79 percent of North Carolina voters support within-district open enrollment.

North Carolina earned 0 points for its open enrollment policies while 33 states received an F grade. A total of 60 points are typically assigned for having a comprehensive statewide district transfer policy.

The players

Josh Stein

He is the current Governor of North Carolina who signed the state budget.

Reason Foundation

This is a non-profit think tank that released the report analyzing public school open enrollment rankings.

North Carolina Collaboratory

Located at UNC-Chapel Hill, this organization is responsible for conducting the study on within-district enrollment.

The details

State law does not prohibit districts from charging tuition for transfer students, and districts may select transfers based on ability or disability. The North Carolina Collaboratory at UNC-Chapel Hill has been tasked by the General Assembly to conduct a study on within-district open enrollment policies.

July 7, 2026: Governor Josh Stein signed the state budget.
August 11, 2026: A technical corrections bill moved the study deadline.
October 13, 2026: The Reason Foundation released the open enrollment report.
January 2027: The General Assembly 2027 long session convenes.
June 1, 2027: The Collaboratory report deadline for the education committee.

Culture Shift

The push for open enrollment reflects a broader societal move toward increased school choice and parental flexibility in public education. This trend challenges legacy systems where student placement was historically tied strictly to geographic zones.

Because local school boards maintain control over transfer decisions, parents may find varying rules regarding tuition costs and eligibility based on their specific district. Families seeking to transfer students should monitor individual school board policies until statewide legislation is established.

The takeaway

While currently ranked last in national enrollment policies, the state is actively reviewing its approach through a mandated academic study. Interested residents should engage with their local school boards to understand current transfer guidelines while awaiting the report in 2027.

What happens next

The North Carolina Collaboratory must submit its study report regarding within-district open enrollment to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by June 1, 2027.