Raleigh, N.C. – The state House of Representatives approved an additional $3.3 million to fund operations for North Carolina’s new School of Science and Math in Morganton, N.C. this week.
The school received $58 million in initial funding from the General Assembly’s ConnectNC bond in 2016 and an additional $15 million in state funding from the North Carolina legislature.
House Bill 1136 provides more operational funding for NCSSM-Morganton to hire the initial administrators, faculty and support staffers for its campus.
North Carolina’s new School of Science and Math was scheduled to open to its first class of students in August 2021, but Governor Cooper vetoed previous efforts to fund the Morganton campus so its first class is now scheduled to begin in August 2022.
The lead bill sponsor, Representative Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke), released a statement:
“This new School of Science and Math represents visionary education investments of the General Assembly’s ConnectNC Bond in North Carolina public schools and higher education systems,” Rep. Blackwell said.
“As we continue to create an economy that attracts the cutting-edge jobs of the future right here in North Carolina, NCSSM-Morganton provides another promising pathway to success for hundreds of students in our state.”
North Carolina is facing an estimated $5 billion revenue shortfall over this budget biennium due to the pandemic’s economic shutdown, but the General Assembly has monies available to fund critical immediate needs like NCSSM-Morganton thanks to smart budgets that focused on education and strong savings accounts.
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) also released a statement:
“The North Carolina House has committed to making capital investments in education, particularly in our rural regions like the NCSSM-Morganton campus, and has budgeted wisely to have available funds to support their critical immediate needs despite the pandemic,” Speaker Moore said.
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