State Superintendent Mark Johnson announced today the unveiling of a new school finances transparency website that is open to the public and gives users access to data about how the state’s schools and districts are funded.
Go to the homepage, and you are presented with the following high-level facts about school funding and spending.
But that’s just some of the data. You can search an interactive map to learn more about the state as a whole or any individual county, district, or charter school.
The website includes data on textbook funding and expenditures, classroom supplies, funding for teachers, class size, small county and low-wealth supplemental funding, and, of course, average teacher salaries. Those are just some of the many items you can peruse.
“As the elected leader of North Carolina’s public schools, I want to encourage constructive discussions about our education system,” Johnson said in a press release. “A subject as important as our public schools deserves all the transparency we can provide.”
The website was developed between the Government Data Analytics Center of the North Carolina Department of Information Technology and SAS as part of the multi-year School Business Systems Modernization program mandated by the General Assembly.
“Education is what can create a path for every student, no matter their background, or where they live, to be able to work hard and reach their American Dream,” Johnson said. “And, our education system is vital for the economic future of our state. By launching this resource, I hope to provide greater transparency for where our taxpayer dollars are going.”
