NC Supreme Court Ends Leandro Lawsuit, Leaving Rural Schools Struggling

It's April 3rd. Durham News Today starts now.

AI-powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story.

The Leandro lawsuit, a three-decade fight for better school funding in North Carolina,

just got shut down by the State Supreme Court.

It kicked off in 1994 when five low-wealth counties.

Hoke, Halifax, Cumberlin, Vance and Robison sued the state, claiming kids.

We're getting a sound basic education due to funding gaps.

The court backed that right in rulings back in 1997 and 2004.

Fast forward through years of trials and status checks.

Judges kept finding the state falling short on teachers, principals and resources.

By 2016, a new judge brought in experts from West Ed,

who dropped a massive 300-page report in 2019 laying out.

Fixes.

In 2021, everyone agreed on a 57-page plan pulling from that report,

costing at least $5.6 billion.

A superior court judge approved it, but funding hit roadblocks,

courts of appeals and lawmakers block transfers, saying judges can't force spending.

Appeals powered up to the Supreme Court.

Tensions peaked with business leaders pushing for cash and politicians arguing separation of powers.

Oral arguments happened in February 2024, but on April 2nd, 2026,

a four-to-three decision tossed the whole plan and dismissed the case entirely.

No more refiling allowed since the court said the education landscape evolved too much over 20 years

and without current student plaintiffs.

Nobody's rights are live issues.

This wraps up a saga that's left for rural schools still scrambling for basics.