North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Ten North Carolina school districts — from Transylvania County in the west to Tyrrell County on the coast — will share more than $392 million in state lottery-funded grants for new school construction and major renovations.
The awards, reserved for districts in economically distressed counties, will support new or replacement buildings for seven elementary schools, two high schools and one Career and Technical Education (CTE) center. Projects include two full-school renovations and the replacement of 14 aging schools.
The funding is distributed through the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund (NBPSCF), which the General Assembly created in 2017 to offer application-based grants that supplement the state’s lottery-supported Public School Building Capital Fund and the Public School Building Repair and Renovation Fund.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice “Mo” Green said the grants will support updated, modern learning environments across rural and high-needs communities.
“This funding is critical to support, sustain, and nurture continued excellence in North Carolina’s public schools,” Green said. “Students across the state will receive much-deserved safe, modern, and accessible learning environments through the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund. I’m incredibly thankful to award nearly $400 million to these districts as this is an important step forward in our journey to provide exceptional learning spaces for all North Carolina students and educators.”
Awards include:
- Caswell County Schools – $18.8 million for renovation of Oakwood Elementary School to address major safety and operational issues.
- Duplin County Schools – $32.4 million to renovate East Duplin High School to modernize facilities and improve student safety.
- Greene County Schools – $42 million to replace West Greene Elementary School.
- Hertford County Schools – $7.1 million for renovation of Riverview Elementary School, including a new gym and classrooms connected to the main building.
- McDowell County Schools – $42 million for construction of a new East Marion Elementary School.
- Richmond County Schools – $42 million to replace L.J. Bell Elementary School.
- Rockingham County Schools – $42 million for construction of a new Reidsville Elementary School and to merge two under-resourced schools.
- Transylvania County Schools – $62 million to complete a major transformation of the Brevard High School campus, consolidate Davidson River Alternative School and build a new CTE facility.
- Tyrrell County Schools – $62 million to build a new PK–13 CTE facility to replace outdated and flood-prone buildings.
- Wilson County Schools – $42 million for construction of a new Wilson Elementary School, merging two outdated schools into one modern facility.
Awards are capped at $42 million for elementary schools, $52 million for middle schools and $62 million for high schools. The Department of Public Instruction evaluated applications based on statutory criteria, including county economic tier, ability to generate revenue, debt-to-tax revenue ratio, severity of facility deficiencies, consolidation opportunities and whether the county has received a grant in the last three years.