North Carolina Ranked Last in Open Enrollment Policies

State families currently lack a uniform path for students to transfer between public schools.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Secondary Education

Isometric editorial illustration of a solitary wooden gate in a vast landscape, representing the state's lack of standardized school enrollment policies. — North Carolina currently holds a failing grade for its open enrollment policies, leaving families without a standardized transfer system for public schooling. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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

North Carolina received a failing grade and zero points for open enrollment policies in a recent Reason Foundation report. The state currently lacks a law requiring districts to accept transfers, leaving decisions entirely to individual school boards.

Why it matters

The absence of a statewide mandate creates uncertainty for families navigating schooling options, as local policies vary widely. With 79% of state voters supporting within-district open enrollment, the lack of a standardized system remains a significant hurdle for parents.

North Carolina scored zero out of 100 points, joining Alaska, Maine, and Maryland at the bottom of the rankings. Currently, 33 states received an F grade for their open enrollment policies.

The players

Reason Foundation

A public policy think tank that provides analysis and rankings on state-level education systems and governance.

North Carolina Collaboratory

A research group based at UNC-Chapel Hill tasked by the General Assembly with evaluating education policies.

Josh Stein

The Governor of North Carolina who signed the state budget authorizing the current study of enrollment practices.

The details

Without a state statute, local school boards determine transfer criteria, including the ability to select students based on academic ability or disability. Schools are also not required to publish transfer data, and districts are permitted to charge tuition for out-of-district students. The North Carolina Collaboratory at UNC-Chapel Hill is now studying these within-district policies as mandated by the state budget.

July 7, 2026: Governor Josh Stein signed the state budget.
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 is due to the education committee.

The Home Front

The current state of enrollment policy reflects a broader national trend where states are increasingly evaluating the impact of school-choice statutes on family logistics. This formal study updates the state's position relative to the 60-point benchmark typically assigned for statewide transfer policies.

Families looking to transfer students should contact their local district office to verify specific board policies, as these rules are currently set at the district level. Check if your district has capacity-based transfer limits similar to those found in programs like the one in Union County.

The takeaway

Because North Carolina lacks a uniform statewide policy, your ability to transfer depends entirely on the school board in your specific district. Keep an eye on the upcoming report due in June 2027, as it may influence future legislative sessions regarding local transfer rules.

What happens next

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