State Schools Report $18 Billion in Construction Needs

A new facilities survey shows North Carolina districts need billions to repair and build schools over the next five years.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Secondary Education

State Schools Report $18 Billion in Construction Needs

Live Poll

Should North Carolina spend more state money on public school construction and repairs?

North Carolina school districts report $18 billion in school construction needs over the next five years, according to a statewide facilities survey presented to the State Board of Education. The Alamance-Burlington School System alone reports $401.8 million in needs.

Why it matters

Many counties are unable to provide the money needed to keep pace with school construction needs, and the 2021 state study had already identified $13.1 billion in needs. The growing gap affects students and families in every district that relies on aging buildings.

The statewide five-year total of $18 billion is up from $13.1 billion identified in 2021, and renovations at 1,416 schools account for $9.8 billion of that need. Forty percent of North Carolina school buildings are more than 50 years old, and the last statewide school bond referendum was in 1996 for $1.8 billion.

The players

Alamance-Burlington School System

A public school district in North Carolina that reports $401.8 million in facilities needs over five years and ranks 10th most expensive in the state.

North Carolina State Board of Education

The state body that receives school construction needs reports from districts every five years and oversees public education policy in North Carolina.

The details

School boards must report construction needs every five years to the state board, and the state uses North Carolina Education Lottery money to help pay for projects. The Department of Public Instruction could ask legislators to increase school construction funding by $142 million a year.

1996: Last statewide school bond referendum for $1.8 billion
2021: Prior state study identified $13.1 billion in needs
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Facilities needs survey presented to State Board of Education
Next five years: Projected construction needs period, with costs expected to rise

Season Trajectory

The new $18 billion total is up from the $13.1 billion identified in the 2021 state study, continuing a rise in statewide school construction needs. Construction costs are expected to push needs higher over the next five years.

Parents and families in North Carolina districts with aging buildings may see changes in facilities depending on how the state and local governments respond to the report. The extraction does not indicate any specific school closures, schedule changes, or fee changes tied to the findings.

The takeaway

Districts across North Carolina face growing repair and construction bills that local budgets may not cover alone. Families who want to follow the issue can track their own district's facilities plan and any state funding requests that follow the survey.