Alamance-Burlington Schools Face Budget Challenges Amid Rising Costs
As the new fiscal year approaches, the Alamance-Burlington School System is grappling with financial difficulties due to the county’s proposed budget. This situation mirrors challenges faced by other districts across North Carolina, where rising operational expenses and planned state teacher pay raises are stretching budgets thin.
To achieve financial stability, the district requires an additional $2.4 million in local funding. However, the budget proposal from the county manager falls short by approximately $900,000, as discussed by the school board this week.
Board Chair Sandy Ellington-Graves expressed concern: “Obviously, we can’t grow, which is disappointing in a lot of ways, because there’s so much pressure on us as a district to get out of this low-performing place that we are.”
Superintendent Aaron Fleming highlighted issues with the district’s infrastructure, noting the absence of air conditioning in many school gyms, security concerns with school entrances, and a lack of surveillance cameras. “Here we are, 2026, and we don’t have the basic infrastructure in our schools that, quite frankly, most schools in this state have,” Fleming stated.
There was discussion among board members about implementing a quarter-cent sales tax to generate revenue for the schools. However, Alamance voters have repeatedly turned down such proposals in past ballots. The district’s total per-pupil funding ranks 109th out of 116 school systems.
A recent survey of residents in the county showed that 78% prioritized school system funding in this year’s budget. Nevertheless, just under half were in favor of a proposed 2.25-cent property tax increase to maintain services.
The county commissioners are scheduled to hold a public hearing regarding the proposed budget on June 1.
