Buncombe County School Districts Warn of State Funding Gaps for Exceptional Children Programs

Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools are facing state funding shortfalls for their Exceptional Children (EC) programs, which provide tailored learning for students with disabilities. The gap, rooted in how Raleigh calculates what local districts are owed, has grown large enough that district leaders are now raising it publicly at their school board meetings.

The shortfall stems from the state's funding model, which bases allocations on the previous year's enrollment. That lag creates an immediate structural problem: when a district's EC population grows faster than the state formula can track, the money simply does not arrive in time to cover the students already sitting in classrooms.

Superintendents for both school districts presented updates on their EC programs at their respective school board meetings this month. "We want to do all we can for our students, and yet, we're not being funded the way we need to be funded by the state, who has the constitutional duty to provide for our schools," said Superintendent Rob Jackson at the Buncombe County Board of Education's March 5 meeting.

The numbers Jackson brought to that meeting laid out the scale of the problem in concrete terms. Even if BCS enrollment aligned with the state's enrollment cap, spending for the program far exceeds the state allotment when factoring in funding for specific program needs such as hiring specialists and therapists. Last year's funding gap amounted to roughly $4,381 per student. That gap, combined with 213 additional students enrolled in this year's EC program, amounts to over $13 million in funding needs for the current school year. The school district was able to offset costs thanks to county funding.

In response to the report, BCS board member Kim Plemmons spoke about volunteering with the EC program at Erwin High School. "For anyone that doesn't understand the EC world and can vote in a manner that reduces funding for those children, I'm sorry, but that is terrible. That is not OK. And voters have got to do something about it in November," Plemmons said.

The frustration from BCS leaders mirrors a pattern that has defined Buncombe County education funding conversations for years. During every BCS budget discussion, board members direct most of their frustration with funding shortfalls toward the N.C. General Assembly. Board Chair Amanda Edwards has emphasized that, while local government has worked to provide smoother support for schools, state government still needs to do its part. Each year since 2022, legislators in Raleigh have declined to act on a court-ordered plan for education funding that would send an extra $56 million annually to the county's K-12 systems.

Asheville City Schools Superintendent Maggie Fehrman was also named in connection with the EC funding reporting, with both district leaders presenting to their respective boards this month. The Exceptional Children's Assistance Center lists Mindy Conner as BCS's EC contact, reachable at 828-255-5971, and Holly Sutter as ACS's EC contact, reachable at 828-350-6128, for families seeking program information.

With the 2026 elections approaching, Plemmons' call to action at the March 5 meeting signaled that the EC funding fight is no longer being framed solely as a budget line item. For the roughly 213 additional students whose services hang in the balance this school year alone, the distance between Raleigh's formula and the classroom reality is more than $13 million wide.