On Thursday, the House passed a bond proposal that includes $500 million for school construction.
Wake would be eligible for a share of $150 million equal to its proportion of statewide students. It would also be eligible for a share of $70 million going to counties experiencing student enrollment growth. (The other $280 million goes to lower wealth counties.)
Wake students represent just over 10 percent of the state’s student population. This means that Wake would be guaranteed at least $15 million, with additional funding from the enrollment growth funds.
There is a dollar for dollar match required in wealthier counties, and Wake will surely be considered among those. It would make sense for Wake’s 2013 approved capital bond to provide those matching dollars. Though approved, bonds aren’t sold to provide funding until needed.
The last statewide bond that provided funds for school construction occurred in 1996.