What They’re Saying: North Carolinians Applaud Governor Stein’s Budget to Keep North Carolina Strong

NORTH CAROLINA, April 24 - On Tuesday, Governor Josh Stein announced his recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, Keeping North Carolina Strong. The Governor’s budget raises starting teacher pay to the highest in the Southeast and provides meaningful tax relief to working families while ensuring North Carolina can continue to invest in critical needs, including public safety, education, child care, workforce development, and health care.   

Educators, business leaders, law enforcement, and advocates are highlighting their support for key components of Governor Stein’s budget priorities. Read their perspectives below:  

State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis and North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green: “As the leaders of North Carolina's public school system, we appreciate the significant investments Governor Stein has proposed in his budget for our K-12 public schools. We are particularly grateful for the robust commitments to raising pay for our educators and public school employees, including an average 11 percent increase for teachers that would move North Carolina's starting salary to the highest in the Southeast. We also welcome the proposed funding to transition to a weighted Exceptional Children funding model, a long-standing priority that will better serve our students with disabilities and the educators who support them.” 

Leanne Winner, Executive Director, NC School Boards Association: “The North Carolina School Boards Association appreciates Governor Stein’s significant commitment to K-12 public education. We are particularly encouraged by the Governor's proposals to eliminate the 'mid-career teacher salary plateau,' and a move toward a tiered, needs-based approach to supporting all students with disabilities. Continued, thoughtful investment in public education is ultimately an investment in North Carolina’s future – one that will help sustain a strong workforce and a thriving economic engine for years to come.” 

Rachel Candaso, 2025 NC Teacher of the Year and Chair of the Governor’s Teacher Advisory Committee: “As a representative of educators from across our state, I'm encouraged to see a budget proposal that prioritizes both educators and students across North Carolina. Raising starting teacher pay to the highest in the Southeast and providing an average 11% raise, while eliminating the 10-year pay plateau, is a meaningful step toward recruiting and retaining the professionals our schools depend on. I also appreciate the investment in expanding the Science of Reading program into middle grades. While North Carolina students show strong early literacy outcomes, reading proficiency often declines without continued support, and, as a middle school educator, I see that need every day. This budget also strengthens food and nutrition security for children and families year-round. Together, these investments reflect a comprehensive approach to strengthening public education across our state.” 

Jason Johnson, 2025 North Carolina Principal of the Year and 2026 National High School Principal of the Year: "Governor Josh Stein's budget proposal reflects a clear commitment to the future of public education and the state of North Carolina. This budget represents a strong foundation, beginning with investments in pre-K support and extending throughout the entire public education system to support all facets of our students’ lives.”  

Dr. John Lassiter, President, NC Association of Principals and Assistant Principals: “I appreciate the strong priorities reflected in Governor Stein’s recently released budget, and I am hopeful that a thoughtful compromise can be reached. The proposal reflects important priorities for schools, including safety, student support, and educator pay, which are widely supported by educators and communities across North Carolina. The proposed funding for school resource officers, mental health positions, and teacher raises demonstrates a meaningful investment in making North Carolina more competitive in attracting and retaining excellent educators. A budget like this can help keep more education graduates teaching in North Carolina, inspire more high school seniors to pursue the profession, address persistent vacancies in counties along our state borders, and strengthen our state’s future by building a stronger workforce. We look forward to continued collaboration with the General Assembly and the Governor’s Office to ensure a final budget that best serves all students and educators across our state.”  

Public School Forum of North Carolina: “The Governor’s budget addresses many of the Public School Forum of NC’s policy priorities, including increasing educator salaries and reinstating master’s pay for teachers, investing in school-based mental health supports, and prioritizing taxpayer dollars for our state’s public schools that serve the vast majority of North Carolina’s children. We have a long way to go to ensure that our students have access to the educational opportunities they need to prepare them for success in life, and the Governor’s budget proposal would be a step in the right direction.” 

Tamika Walker-Kelly, President, North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE): “North Carolina’s educators have been saying it for years: Our kids deserve better than a state that ranks near the bottom in public school funding while cutting corporate taxes to zero. Governor Stein’s recommended budget hears that call. It raises teacher pay at all levels, restores master’s pay, eliminates the mid-career pay plateau, invests more in Exceptional Children programs, and ensures every child can eat breakfast at school. Critically, it recognizes that we cannot keep draining public revenue with more corporate tax cuts and expect our schools to thrive. This is a responsible budget, and North Carolina will be better for it.” 

Public Schools First NC: “Public Schools First NC commends Governor Stein for his commitment to North Carolina educators represented in his budget proposal. We strongly endorse the Governor’s plan to roll back private school vouchers and his plan to use public funds for public education by increasing teacher salaries by an average of 11%, restoring master’s degree pay, and eliminating the 10-year salary plateau for teachers in years 15-24. The Governor’s budget also includes a 5% supplement for our deserving retired educators. These proposals represent a major step forward in recruiting and retaining our valuable public school teachers. We encourage all NC legislators to join Governor Stein’s effort to make NC starting teacher salaries the highest in the Southeast. These and other investments in early childhood education, school health professionals (counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers), Medicaid, and more will build a stronger future for our state.” 

Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center: “ECAC is encouraged by efforts to move toward a more equitable, weighted funding model for students with disabilities who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Currently, schools receive the same level of funding per student regardless of the frequency or intensity of services a student requires. In reality, student needs can vary significantly – from those who may need occasional speech services twice a month to those who require daily, multi-disciplinary supports. When funding does not reflect those differences, it creates real challenges for schools and educators in meeting the individual needs of exceptional children. Aligning resources with student needs is an important step toward improving outcomes for students with disabilities in North Carolina and better supporting the teachers and service providers who serve them.” 

NC Education Corps: “As a nonprofit that places highly trained tutors in classrooms around North Carolina, we know the value of providing high-impact support to students who are struggling academically. We are very pleased to see that the Governor has included support for high-dosage tutoring in his budget recommendation.” 

Creighton Blackwell, Chief Community and Public Affairs Officer, Coastal Credit Union: “The future of our public education IS the future of North Carolina. As we continue to attract new residents, better the lives of our current residents, and welcome businesses that continue to thrive, the commitments we make to public education today will pay dividends in the form of stronger leaders, talents, and jobs that we will produce tomorrow. This is our commitment to a better North Carolina.” 

North Carolina Partnership for Children: “As a nonpartisan public‑private partnership, we are encouraged by Governor Stein’s continued investment in North Carolina’s young children and families. The budget recommendations strengthen the foundation of Smart Start’s statewide network – updating child care subsidy rates, establishing a new statewide floor, and increasing NC Pre‑K investments across settings. Together, these steps support access, quality, and stability and help ensure Smart Start can continue connecting families across North Carolina to high‑quality early childhood opportunities.” 

Beth Messersmith, Director, MomsRising/MamásConPoder: “North Carolina’s moms applaud Governor Stein for proposing a budget that reflects working families’ priorities and boosts our state’s economy. We are especially thrilled the Governor includes badly needed solutions to our state’s severe child care crisis, including setting a statewide subsidy reimbursement rate floor. That will help stabilize the child care programs that families and businesses rely on and support rural communities. Moms are also grateful the Governor is championing school breakfast for all, strengthening SNAP, and investing in public schools. Finally, the Governor’s proposal would provide relief for working families while pausing tax cuts that mainly benefit the wealthy and corporations, so the programs families rely on will have the revenue they need. As costs soar and the care crisis deepens, moms cheer the Governor's leadership on issues that matter greatly to our state’s working families.” 

North Carolina Principal of the Year Network: “North Carolina currently ranks second to last nationally in K-12 funding, spending $5,660 less per student than the national average. This budget is a vital step toward closing that gap and providing our 1.5 million students with the modern, safe, and fully supported learning environments they need to thrive. This is more than just a spending plan; it is an investment into the safety, health, and academic potential of every child in North Carolina. The best state in business deserves to have the best education system to reflect our dedication to growth. The NC Principal of the Year Network urges our state leaders to support these recommendations, which represent a profound commitment to our children, our educators, and the future of North Carolina.” 

Bonnie Davis Meadows, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, President, North Carolina Nurses Association: “North Carolina’s health care system is under real pressure, and we are grateful to see Governor Stein’s budget reflect the importance of meeting those challenges head-on. From pay raises for nurses working for the state to an increase in school nurses to funding that bolsters the nursing workforce, this budget addresses critical needs on multiple fronts. The North Carolina Nurses Association also strongly supports fully funding the Medicaid rebase to maintain access to care for people across North Carolina.” 

Karen McLeod, President/CEO, Benchmarks, a statewide behavioral health provider association: “We are very grateful that Governor Stein included behavioral health crisis services in his budget priorities. These services are crucial to the health, safety, and well-being for some of NC’s most vulnerable citizens. We sincerely hope the legislature will agree to support funding for these recommendations that will make our communities safer and healthier.” 

Mike Olender, State Director, AARP North Carolina: “Proposed investments by the Governor in the health care workforce, nutrition assistance, nursing home oversight, and affordable housing will benefit people across their lifespans and help North Carolina meet its projected growth in the number of older adults living here. While these steps are important, ongoing efforts to support older adults are needed.” 

Abby Emanuelson, Executive Director, NC Alliance for Health: “Governor Stein’s budget recognizes that smart, targeted investments in public health – including the Medicaid rebase, school meals for all, SUN Bucks, SNAP, and more – deliver real, measurable benefits for North Carolina families. We urge the North Carolina General Assembly to fully fund these proven priorities.” 

Lou Anne Crumpler, Director, Carolina Hunger Initiative: “The nutrition programs prioritized by Governor Josh Stein in his recommended budget would have major positive impacts on child health and help keep North Carolina out of a food insecurity crisis. The funding recommended to make school breakfast available at no cost to all families would be a crucial step toward ending child hunger in our state. The children who are benefiting from these programs today will be leading our state in the future. By funding these programs, North Carolina will be stronger.” 

Chris Herndon, Chapter Director, NC Sierra Club: “Thank you, Governor Stein, for proposing a state budget that invests in protecting people from industrial water and air pollution. The investments in water systems, the focus on PFAS, the funding for air quality testing - they make long-term differences. We hope the General Assembly agrees!"

Chip Hawley, Director, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations: “I am very appreciative of the Governor’s support for the SBI in his proposed budget. The additional positions would allow our Drug Program to expand its efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations and the fentanyl and other dangerous drugs that fuel their illicit operations. We are centrally focused on the safety of all North Carolinians, and these proposals will enable the SBI to continue and enhance its mission to protect our citizens and serve our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners.”  

Bryan House, Director, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement: “ALE keeps North Carolinians safe by enforcing laws related to alcohol, drugs, weapons, and other activities. During the past 18 months, our team has investigated 99 cases involving the unlawful sale and distribution of cannabis at tobacco or vape shops – without any increase in agents. Raising salaries will help us retain our highly qualified officers, and hiring more agents will enable us to continue cracking down on unlawful products and keeping young people safe.” 

Attorney General Jeff Jackson: “Gov. Stein’s budget focuses on public safety and protecting our tax dollars. Our office strongly supports those priorities. Supporting law enforcement is core to what we do at the Department of Justice. Bonuses and pay raises help us recruit and keep the people we need in these jobs. When officers put themselves at risk to keep our families safe, we should be doing more for them, not less. The additional funds for our Medicaid Investigations Division will make a real difference. We already lead the country in finding Medicaid fraud and prosecuting the people behind it. A new data mining position will help us sort through huge volumes of billing data to catch phantom billing and other schemes – protecting patients and tax dollars at the same time. I also support the raises for state employees, including the team at NCDOJ. These are people who could make more money in the private sector but choose to spend their careers protecting North Carolinians. I’m asking the General Assembly to take these recommendations up in the Short Session and move them forward.”  

Charles C. Lucas III, Chair, The Duke Endowment: “We are encouraged that Governor Stein’s recommended budget includes SUN Bucks and investments to strengthen the health care workforce. Unlocking federal funding to support summer nutrition for more than one million children, along with expanding training opportunities for nurses and other health care professionals, aligns closely with our priorities and our commitment to improving health outcomes across the state.” 

Ed McMahon, New Hanover County Sheriff: “Governor Stein’s budget takes a strong step toward strengthening our behavioral health system and keeping North Carolinians safe. Through the investments in additional Behavioral Health Units and co-response teams, local law enforcement will be better equipped to de-escalate crises and connect individuals to the treatment they need. Expanding access to care for those who need it is critical to the safety of our communities. The investments in the Governor’s budget help address this gap and reduce the strains on North Carolina’s emergency departments and law enforcement.” 

Becky Ceartas, Executive Director, North Carolinians Against Gun Violence: “We recommend Governor Stein for taking a holistic approach to keeping North Carolinians safe in his budget by investing in programs that will save lives. NC S.A.F.E. has given out more than 150,000 gun locks throughout the state to prevent accidental shootings, suicides, and gun thefts where the guns often end up on our streets. The Office of Violence Prevention was the first statewide OVP in the South. It takes a public health approach to preventing gun violence. Both of these entities need robust investments to do their critical work of keeping North Carolinians safe from gun violence." 

Deana Joy, CEO, Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Carolina: “We are very grateful to the Governor for his commitment to North Carolina’s children through his focus on public safety as well as resources that support families, reduce trauma and stress, and aid in the prevention of child abuse.” 

Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch: “North Carolina families have been waiting nearly 300 days for a state budget, and every day that passes, they’re the ones absorbing the cost. Governor Stein’s proposal looks at what families are actually living with and puts the focus back where it belongs. On them, on you, and on your family. This is a serious, responsible roadmap to meet our serious and growing real-world needs. It is well past time for the legislature to do the basic work of governing.” 

House Democratic Leader Robert Reives: “I support Governor Stein’s call for the General Assembly to pass a comprehensive budget for the first time in 942 days. It is long past time that Republican Leadership come to the table and negotiate in good faith to deliver results for North Carolinians. They deserve a government that works for them, not against them. House Democrats have been doing that work and will continue to.” 

Cecilia Holden, President and CEO, myFutureNC: “The Governor’s proposed budget reflects continued alignment with myFutureNC’s priorities and a shared commitment to strengthening North Carolina’s talent pipeline. These investments are an important step toward reaching the state’s educational attainment goal and supporting long-term economic competitiveness. We are particularly encouraged by the focus on workforce readiness, including support for NCCareers, ApprenticeshipNC, workforce grants, Propel NC, and need-based grants for NCICU students. Sustained investment in these areas will be key to expanding opportunity and meeting workforce demand across the state.” 

Crystal Folger-Hawks, Executive Director, Surry-Yadkin Works: "At Surry-Yadkin Works, we are focused on the economic prosperity of this community, offering our students pathways to good-paying jobs and helping businesses of all sizes meet their workforce needs with local talent. We were delighted to host Governor Stein last year to see the good work underway and we applaud efforts to fund more youth apprenticeship programs in rural North Carolina, showing young people that there are good jobs all across this state."

Sherry Carpenter, Chief Organizational Development and Mission Advancement Officer, Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC, Inc.: “The Governor’s budget supports a strong economy and workforce with equitable resources for North Carolinians. I commend our state for recognizing the importance of housing and affordable child care as top priorities for individuals to achieve workforce and educational needs. We see the impact of supportive services in Goodwill programs and the NCWorks Centers each day as individuals strive to achieve their goals. In addition, the focus on credential attainment in high-demand fields, apprenticeships, Workforce Pell, youth programs, and strategic workforce training is an effective strategy that will provide a sustainable and relevant workforce and economic base for North Carolina.” 

Tammy Simmons, President and Executive Vice President, Machine Specialties Inc.: “This is a budget that works – for our businesses, for our economy, and for the people of North Carolina. It invests in our workforce, expands opportunity through apprenticeships and career pathways, and puts our state dollars to work in ways that deliver real results. As a member of the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships and as a business that has used the apprenticeship model, we’ve seen firsthand how effective it is in preparing young people for strong careers and meeting the needs of employers. It’s a win for jobseekers, a win for businesses, and a win for North Carolina.” 

Click here to read Governor Stein’s full budget proposal.