Watauga County Schools District allocated a total of $408,697 from state funds to purchased services in the 2023-24 school year, according to data gathered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
This sum represents a 10.4% decrease when compared to the $456,389 spent the previous year on purchased services.
Among the various expenditures, the largest expenditure from state funds was $24.4 million for salary, followed by employee benefits on which $10.9 million was spent, and supplies and materials with $1.7 million. Additionally, expenditures for purchased services and capital outlay were $408,697 and $185,592, respectively.
North Carolina has not approved a new budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year, leaving state funding at current levels as House and Senate negotiations remain stalled. Disagreements over teacher pay, personal income taxes, and other spending priorities mean educators and state employees will not receive raises or step increases until the General Assembly passes a budget or spending bill.
| Category | Spending in 2022-23 | Spending in 2023-24 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Outlay | $78,437 | $185,592 | 136.6% |
| Supplies And Materials | $1,186,495 | $1,665,853 | 40.4% |
| Employee Benefits | $10,142,642 | $10,879,810 | 7.3% |
| Other | $8,976 | $9,263 | 3.2% |
| Salary | $23,637,682 | $24,359,044 | 3.1% |
| Purchased Services | $456,389 | $408,697 | -10.4% |
