NC Schools Face $18 Billion in Repair Needs

Families with children in older North Carolina school buildings should watch local capital plans and budget decisions over the next five years.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Secondary Education

NC Schools Face $18 Billion in Repair 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 state facilities needs survey presented to the State Board of Education on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. The Alamance-Burlington School System alone reports $401.8 million in needs over the same period.

Why it matters

School boards must report construction needs to the state every five years, and the 2026 figure is well above the $13.1 billion reported in the 2021 study, which matters for families whose children attend aging buildings. With the last statewide school bond referendum dating to 1996, districts are increasingly relying on local funds and state lottery money that counties say they cannot fully match.

The Alamance-Burlington School System needs $401.8 million over five years and ranks 10th most expensive in the state, with $232.8 million of that tied to renovations. Guilford County reports $2.2 billion and Wake County $2 billion in five-year needs.

The players

State Board of Education

The state body that receives school districts' five-year facilities reports and oversees public school policy in North Carolina.

Department of Public Instruction

The state agency that may request additional school construction funding from legislators on behalf of North Carolina's public schools.

Alamance-Burlington School System

A North Carolina public school district reporting $401.8 million in facilities needs over five years.

The details

School boards are required by state law to report construction needs every five years to the State Board of Education, and this cycle's survey totals $18 billion statewide. The state helps cover costs using money from the North Carolina Education Lottery, which has provided $2.8 billion for construction over the past five years. The Department of Public Instruction could ask legislators to add $142 million a year in construction funding, and projected costs are expected to keep rising over the next five years, largely due to higher construction prices.

2021: A prior state study reported $13.1 billion in school construction needs.
1996: The last statewide school bond referendum passed, authorizing $1.8 billion.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The facilities needs survey was presented to the State Board of Education.
Next five years: The projected period covered by the current construction needs estimate.

The Home Front

The rise from $13.1 billion in 2021 to $18 billion in 2026 follows a pattern of school buildings aging past their design lives, with 40% now more than 50 years old. Many counties report they cannot raise enough local property tax revenue to keep pace, a constraint shaped by a voter-approved constitutional amendment limiting local property tax increases.

If your child attends a school in a district with large five-year needs, ask your school board or PTA how renovation projects are prioritized and when they are scheduled. Families in older neighborhoods should also check whether a local bond or capital plan is on a future ballot, since the state has not held a statewide school bond vote since 1996.

The takeaway

School facility needs are rising faster than many districts can fund them, so families should keep an eye on local capital plans and school board budget meetings. Ask your district where its five-year needs report is posted so you can see which buildings are on the list.