Report Ranks NC Last in Public School Funding

A new report from the Education Law Center ranked North Carolina last among states for its public school funding effort. The state earned F grades in both cost-adjusted per-pupil revenue from state and local sources and the share of gross domestic product devoted to education.

North Carolina dedicated 2% of its GDP to education—well below top-ranked Vermont’s 5.4%—and placed 50th out of 51 jurisdictions in cost-adjusted per-pupil funding levels. The state spends $12,193 per student—$5,660 below the national average.

North Carolina received a C grade for funding distribution due to providing somewhat higher resources to districts with greater poverty.

View more details using the state filters on the Education Law Center’s interactive site.

ACC to Change Football Tiebreaker Rules

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced updates to its football scheduling and tiebreaker policies, prompted by a controversial five-way tie in the 2025 season that allowed Duke to reach and win the championship game despite the team’s 8-5 overall record.

Starting in 2026, the ACC will transition to a nine-game conference schedule, with 12 teams playing nine league games and five—North Carolina, Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, and Georgia Tech—playing eight during the transitional year. Beginning in 2027, one team will play eight games each season on a rotating basis.

The league will revise its tiebreaker rules ahead of the 2026 season to account for the uneven number of conference games and address issues from the 2025 tie, where opponents’ combined winning percentage determined the outcome. Specific new procedures have not yet been announced.

Students Unveil Plane at First Flight Anniversary

The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills marked the 122nd anniversary of the first powered airplane flight Wednesday with free admission and a full day of events in partnership with local schools and aviation groups.

A key feature of the event was the unveiling of a student-built Van’s RV-12iS airplane by First Flight High School participants in the Wright Flight Academy, emphasizing hands-on aeronautics education.

Other highlights included the induction of aviation pioneer William P. Lear into the Paul E. Garber Shrine, a wreath-laying ceremony by descendants of first flight witnesses, and a moment of silence at 10:35 a.m.—the exact time of Orville Wright’s historic flight.

Demonstrations featuring a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer took place throughout the day.

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➤ Statewide: Republican legislative leaders filed a brief with the North Carolina Supreme Court Monday, urging it to overturn precedents that expanded the governor’s appointment power over state boards. They argue the rulings improperly shift policy-making authority from the General Assembly to the governor. (More)

➤ Charlotte: Released 911 calls capture the chaos on Dec. 5 after Oscar Solorzano allegedly stabbed Kenyon Dobie in the chest on a light rail train. Witnesses described the attack, aided the victim, and reported the fleeing suspect, who now faces attempted murder charges. (More)

➤ Mooresville: Police Chief Ron Campurciani criticized the Division of Juvenile Justice for declining to issue a custody order for a 17-year-old gang suspect following a Friday shooting in which 19 shots were fired. Recovered firearms and surveillance video link the teen to the scene. (More)

➤ Chatham County: A deputy was shot and injured Tuesday while rescuing a hostage during a standoff on Pittsboro Goldston Road. The suspect, 50-year-old Kevin Dean Hammer, was killed, and the hostage was safely freed. (More)

➤ Pender County lost over $650,000 in a financial fraud scheme involving spoofed emails impersonating the local sewer authority to divert payments, prompting an ongoing investigation by state and federal authorities. (More)

➤ Pisgah National Forest: The U.S. Forest Service halted a logging project in the Nolichucky Gorge after two conservation groups sued over alleged unauthorized timber removal. The agency removed its equipment days later, prompting the groups to drop the lawsuit. (More)

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➤ Four-star safety recruit Marquis Bryant committed to UNC this week over Georgia, Ohio State, and several other top-tier programs. The Rolesville native is ranked among the top defensive players in North Carolina. (More)

➤ Carolina Hurricanes rookie goalie Brandon Bussi became the fastest goalie to log 10 wins in NHL history. He’s also tied for the franchise record with nine consecutive wins. (More)

➤ UNC men’s basketball announced they’ll play a home-and-home series with Georgia in 2026 and 2028. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NCAAF | NBA | NHL | NCAAM | NCAAW | Soccer

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➤ An unidentified company leased 1.27 million square feet at Morrisville’s Spark LS life sciences campus to establish its North American manufacturing hub, marking the largest U.S. manufacturing lease of 2025. (See Details)

➤ American Distillation Inc. pleaded guilty to knowingly dumping industrial chemical waste into the Cape Fear River from 2020 to 2024 to maximize profits, in violation of the Clean Water Act and endangering the river’s ecosystems. (More)

➤ Hoffman & Hoffman, an HVAC supplier, plans a $40 million expansion of its Greensboro headquarters, consolidating operations and creating 131 jobs with an average salary of $72,176 over five years, supported by state and local incentives. (More)

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The next recession is coming, and experts warn: “This time, you’re the collateral.”

The cracks in the system aren’t just cracks anymore. 

• Debt levels are at historic highs.
• Consumer savings are drained.
• Wall Street is on edge.
• Inflation is still bleeding your purchasing power.

➤ Onslow County deputies discovered a giant Paw Patrol Chase mascot head abandoned on the U.S. 17 bypass, then posted humorous photos of it on a patrol car hood, as they search for its owner. (See Photos)

➤ Charlotte Hornets player Brandon Miller and his Team Miller Foundation partnered with the Boys & Girls Club to surprise three Concord families with Christmas gifts and Visa gift cards Tuesday to help cover bills. (Watch a Video Report)

➤ North Carolina ranked third among top inbound migration states in 2025, according to Atlas Van Lines data, trailing only Arkansas and Idaho. Americans increasingly moved to the Southeast for affordability and lifestyle changes. (More)

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Should North Carolina increase public school funding?

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