N.C. Spending on Education Ranks 40th

A new report on funding for public education by the U.S. Census ranks North Carolina 40th among the 50 states. In plainer language, North Carolina is tenth from THE BOTTOM in the amount of money it devotes to educating its children. The state's ranking dropped from 39th in 2002 and 36th in 2001. "A downward trend for three years in a row is not a good sign," said John Dornan, director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina, a policy organization in public education. Aside from being an authority on school funding, Mr. Dornan is also a master of understatement.

States now ranking ahead of North Carolina include Kentucky, Louisiana, and South Carolina.