NCAE is planning march for public education on May 1

In 2018 and 2019, thousands of teachers from the mountains to the coast came to Raleigh to call for higher pay and increased financial support for schools. Organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), educators dressed in red shirts and carrying signs demanded a list of changes from lawmakers.

The marches garnered national attention.

This year, NCAE is planning “the biggest march for public education North Carolina has ever seen” on May 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh.

The short session of the N.C. General Assembly convenes on April 21, 2026. According to a press release from NCAE, the marchers will be “demanding increased funding for public schools, accountability for voucher spending, and an end to policies prioritizing tax cuts over students.”

This march is happening at a moment in time when legislators failed to pass a biennial state budget in 2025 and a recent decision by the N.C. Supreme Court ended decades of school finance litigation.

There are also three key differences between this march and the ones held before the pandemic.

This march is not limited to educators. NCAE is inviting parents, students, and community members to march. “On May 1st, we are asking every public school supporter in North Carolina to come to Raleigh,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE president.

This march will be held on May Day, also known as worker’s day, and it will be one of many events happening across the country.

This march is also part of a broader NCAE campaign, known as “Kids Over Corporations.”

Here is where you can RSVP to attend the march and get additional details for the day.

Bigger than a march

In late 2025, NCAE launched a new campaign — Kids Over Corporations — including a new website.

On Jan. 28, 2026, they released this digital ad.

In early February, they started mobilizing “one flyer at a time.”

On Feb. 16, NCAE launched this petition to the members of the N.C. General Assembly.

The same day, NCAE held its first call to begin mobilizing educators ahead of the march.

Two days later, NCAE rolled out a toolkit with many resources, including a sample resolution and policy background paper.

On Feb. 24, NCAE released this report, outlining “a vision for what North Carolina’s public schools could achieve with full, sustained investment.”

Titled “Public Schools, Public Good: What North Carolina Can Achieve When We Fully Invest in Our Children,” the report highlights “the extraordinary work taking place in public schools across the state.”

Most recently, NCAE encouraged supporters to post “why I am marching” videos on social media.

You can find all of the updates from NCAE about the march and the campaign here.

More about ‘Kids Over Corporations’

Kids Over Corporations is a statewide movement of educators, parents, students, and community members working to restore our democracy and fully fund North Carolina’s public schools. From every walk of life and corner of the state, North Carolina’s working families are stepping forward to stand shoulder-to-shoulder for our kids.

For too long, powerful corporations and wealthy interests have corrupted our democracy, drained money from classrooms, and silenced working families. While the vast majority of North Carolinians want strong public schools, politicians from both political parties keep choosing tax breaks and privatization instead.

That’s not how democracy is supposed to work.

We are organizing across race, zip code, and background to reclaim our democracy and finally put our kids first. Together, we are building the power to take back our future.

Kids Over Corporations is a project of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE).

— Kids Over Corporations website

To follow the march and the campaign on social media, follow #KidsOverCorporations and/or @WeAreNCAE.

“This is our line in the sand,” said Walker Kelly in a press release. “We will not back down when it comes to ensuring our children receive the education they need and deserve. We will not back down in demanding qualified educators in every classroom and safe, well-resourced schools for every student.”