Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is CJ Staff.
The North Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the long-running Leandro school funding case, ruling that every decision made in the case since 2017 was void. The ruling brings an end to decades of litigation over public education funding.
The ruling marks a significant turning point in one of North Carolina's most consequential education cases, effectively closing a legal battle that began in the 1990s and reshaping how the state addresses its constitutional obligation to provide every child with access to a
"sound basic education."
Support
Supporters of the decision praised the court for restoring constitutional boundaries. Donald Bryson, CEO of the John Locke Foundation and publisher of Carolina Journal, called the ruling
"a clear victory for the separation of powers enshrined in North Carolina's Constitution."
"For decades, this case drifted far from its original purpose, evolving into an effort to have courts manage statewide education policy," Bryson said.
"Today's decision restores constitutional boundaries and refocuses the conversation where it belongs: on accountability, results, and fulfilling the State's duty to guard and maintain every child's right to the privilege of education."
Republican legislative leaders echoed that sentiment, noting that the state constitution grants lawmakers sole authority over appropriations.
"For decades, liberal education special interests have improperly tried to hijack North Carolina's constitutional funding process in order to impose their policy preferences via judicial fiat," Senate Leader Phil Berger wrote in a statement following the decision.
"Today's decision confirms that the proper pathway for policymaking is the legislative process."
"Today, North Carolina's children have access to world-class educational opportunities because of the legislature's commitment to improving educational outcomes," Berger added.
"As we prepare for the short session, Senate Republicans will continue our ongoing focus on increasing parental involvement and educational opportunities for students."
House Speaker Destin Hall's office highlighted the decision's alignment with separation of powers in the state constitution. Hall also focused on the House's current education priorities.
"Today's decision rightly recognizes the constitutional role of the North Carolina General Assembly, since the state Constitution entrusts sole appropriations authority to the legislature," said Demi Dowdy, spokesperson for Speaker Hall, on Thursday.
"House Republicans remain committed to investing in public education, including through our budget proposal to raise starting teacher pay to $50,000 and provide 8.7% average raises to our public school teachers."
Dissent
But the decision also drew sharp criticism. Both Democrats on the Supreme Court dissented, as did Republican Justice Richard Dietz.
Gov. Josh Stein, who was NC's attorney general during the later years of Leandro, criticized the decision Thursday.
"Education opens doors of opportunity for children, but today the Court slammed them in the face of students who deserve the right to a sound basic public education," said Stein, a Democrat, in a statement.
"The Supreme Court simply ignored its own established precedent, enabling the General Assembly to continue to deprive another generation of North Carolina students of the education promised by our Constitution. In recent years, the General Assembly has dropped North Carolina to 49th in the country in per-pupil investment and made our teachers among the worst paid in the nation. Four Supreme Court justices believe that is okay, but they are wrong. Their decision is contrary to the plain language of our Constitution and the court's past rulings."
"For three decades Republican and Democratic judges have recognized and attempted to enforce the right to a sound basic education for everyone," House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said in a prepared statement.
"Today four Republican justices nullified that constitutional right overruling a bipartisan minority on the court. The children of our state deserve better."
Multiple critics addressed the decision on social media.
US Rep. Deborah Ross, D-NC2:
"Every child in North Carolina has a constitutional right to a sound basic education. This ruling is wrong for our students and for our state's future."
Sen. Terence Everitt, D-Wake:
"The Court ended Leandro, abandoning its constitutional duty to our public schools. In 2023, #ncga lawmakers boosted the retirement age for the same Court, delivering hundreds of thousands in additional pay to Chief Justice [Paul] Newby. You get what you pay for."
Rep. Cynthia Ball, D-Wake:
"They've thrown out #Leandro plan with 4-3 vote (Republican Justice Dietz votes no with 2 Dems). ... This, while NC public schools rank at the bottom on most important measures, and students, families and NC's future suffer."
Rep. Zack Hawkins, D-Durham:
"Today's decision by the North Carolina Supreme Court is deeply disappointing and, quite frankly, the wrong decision for our state."
Backstory
The Leandro case, first filed more than 30 years ago, established that North Carolina students are entitled to access to a sound basic education under the North Carolina Constitution. In recent years, litigation has centered on whether courts could compel the state to fund remedial education plans designed to address disparities in resources and student outcomes.
A key element of the plaintiffs' legal strategy was the involvement of WestEd, a California-based education research nonprofit. In 2018, retired Superior Court Judge David Lee appointed WestEd to develop an independent analysis and plan describing what it would take for the state to meet its constitutional obligations under Leandro.
The WestEd plan, now years old, was billed as roadmap detailing the specific funding and policy changes the state would need to provide every student a
"sound basic education." WestEd included detailed recommendations for teacher pay, classroom resources, and systemic improvements. The Leandro litigation in recent years centered on asking the court to order state funding of this specific WestEd plan, with a 2021 trial court order directing the state to transfer $1.75 billion to begin implementing its recommendations.
Thursday's ruling ends that judicial push, leaving future decisions about education funding and policy squarely in the hands of lawmakers and the normal budget process laid out in the state constitution. The state legislature is due to return to Raleigh on April 6 and could resume budget discussions as lawmakers look toward November's general election. The last comprehensive budget legislation expired on June 30, 2025, and while each chamber has passed its own version of a new state budget, no agreement has been reached.
