North Carolina
2023
For every dollar spent on school-aged students in North Carolina, $0.13 was spent on infants and toddlers, and $0.21 was spent on preschool-aged children.
North Carolina invested over $1.2 billion in early care and education in 2023. Of these investments in birth to kindergarten-entry:
– 41% supported infants and toddlers, and 59% supported children aged three to kindergarten-entry.
– 73% came from federal sources, and 27% came from state funds.
ECE Spending by Program Type
Between 2022 and 2023, North Carolina increased state-specific spending on children from birth through kindergarten-entry by more than $11 million.
In 2023, North Carolina supported early care and education through dedicated programs such as Subsidized Child Care, Smart Start, and NC Pre-K. Continued investments will be reflected in future reports.
Per Capita Spending by Age Group
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