Brunswick’s rapid growth is impacting public schools. Are more tax dollars needed?

As the population in Brunswick County has grown, the public school district has worked under the added pressure of an increasing population and aging facilities.

Keeping up for Brunswick County Schools has proved challenging, despite the additional local tax dollars funneling in as a result of the growing population and booming housing market.

While the county’s growth has led to more local money supporting the schools, per pupil spending, buildings, facilities and infrastructure are still lacking.

School funding breakdown

Brunswick County Schools are funded by state and local funds.

For the most recent fiscal year, the district’s total revenue was roughly $144.5 million. The district received roughly $90 million in state funding, with the remaining revenue coming in at the local level.

At the local level, Brunswick County Schools and the county government enter funding agreements every three to five years specifying what percentage of the county’s tax rate will be appropriated to the schools.

For the 2023-24 fiscal year, the two agencies are in year three of a four-year agreement that stipulates 36.5% of the county tax revenues are appropriated to the schools. For this year, that translated to $55,872,947.

According to Gordon Burnette, chief communications officer for Brunswick County Schools, 35.75% of that amount is designated for current expenses and .75% is set aside for capital maintenance.

In the past, there has been tension between the two bodies, with the schools vying for a larger percentage of the tax revenue for its budget. In 2015, the county commissioners refused the schools’ plea for 1.5% in additional funding, which would have translated to some $1.4 million.

On average, over the last five years, the district’s funding from the county has increased roughly $2.9 million annually, Burnette said. As the county’s tax base grows with its population, so does the dollar amount correlated with that 36.5%.

Schools feeling the effects of growth

While Brunswick County has quickly become a haven for older adults and retirees, an increase the school district is seeing in student population indicates young families are also moving to the county.

According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in March, Brunswick County ranks seventh in the country for population percentage growth from 2021 to 2022. In July 2021, the county had an estimated population of 144,814. That number rose by 8,250 residents to 153,064 in July 2022 – a 5.7% increase in one year.

As the northern end of the county – namely Leland – sees rapid growth, enrollment at schools in that area is climbing as well, Burnette said.

According to the North Carolina Public Schools Statistical Profile, Brunswick County Schools enrolled 13,073 students in the 2021-22 school year. In 2019-20, the district enrolled 12,874 students, and enrollment dropped to 12,717 students in the 2020-21 school year, a slight dip likely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Per-pupil sending low overall, high locally

More students cost more money. While funding from the county has increased as the county’s tax base has grown in recent years, the school district still ranks low in overall per-pupil spending.

During the 2021-22 school year, out of 117 school districts in the state, Brunswick County Schools ranked 71st in total per pupil spending at a rate of $12,531 per student. While ranking in the bottom 50% of school districts in the state, the district per pupil spending rate is still slightly above the state’s average of $12,345 per student.

Brunswick County Schools ranked 104th in state funding per pupil and 66th in federal spending per pupil for that school year.

The district fares better when compared to the other districts in the state when it comes to local spending per pupil. In that category, Brunswick County Schools ranks 25th in the state at nearly $2,800 in local funds per student.

In the last three years, Burnette said, per-pupil spending in Brunswick County has increased by 10% overall – with a 20% increase since 2020 – but that increase has also been met with a rise in inflation.

Burnette said nearly $45 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, or ESSER, have contributed to the increase in per-pupil spending, but those federal funds will expire in Sept. 2024. As a result, Burnette said, the district stands to lose several support positions unless local funding can offset the loss.

More: How a long-awaited agreement could mean major savings for one Brunswick city

Recent infrastructure improvements

While the increase in enrollment is a predicted effect of the overall growth of the county, it’s placing extra strain on the district’s facilities.

In 2016, a $152 million bond referendum passed with overwhelming support at the polls. At the time, school officials said the county’s growth demanded upgrades to facilities, technology and more.

To support the demand, the district has completed classroom additions at Lincoln Elementary School and Town Creek Elementary School, a new Town Creek Middle School. In 2021, 12 new classrooms were constructed at North Brunswick and West Brunswick high schools.

Another addition to North Brunswick is currently underway to bring 16 new classrooms to the school. A 13,000-square-foot, eight-classroom addition is also under construction at Town Creek Elementary School.

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“Brunswick County Schools is constantly monitoring and planning for the rapidly increasing population growth and will recommend all means necessary to provide a safe and productive learning environment,” Burnette said.

School leaders discussing future bond proposal, new school

While Burnette said the district has largely remained “ahead of the curve” when it comes to avoiding overcrowding and redistricting, there have been talks of the potential need for a new school in the county as it continues to see growth.

Funds from the 2016 bond largely went to addressing issues at existing facilities, rather than new buildings as they were initially intended. Because of that reprioritization, another bond proposal may be necessary to meet the “excessive growth of Brunswick County,” Burnette said.

Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter/X @jameybcross.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: How tax dollars help Brunswick County Schools