On the first day of school, NC Gov. Stein greets families at this Wake carpool
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- Gov. Josh Stein greeted students in Raleigh on NC's public school opening day.
- Unresolved state budget leaves teacher pay stagnant and school funding uncertain.
- NC education leaders promoted a 2030 goal to build the nation’s best public schools.
Some very unexpected faces greeted students and parents on Monday morning in the carpool lane at Washington Elementary School.
Gov. Josh Stein, State Superintendent Mo Green and Wake County Superintendent Robert Taylor were waiting as Washington Elementary parents dropped off their students to a soundtrack of “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” and “Twistin’ The Night Away.” Monday marked the first day of classes for public school students across North Carolina, including traditional-calendar schools in Wake County.
“This day is filled with so much promise because you want it to be a great day,” Stein told reporters Monday. “You want it to be a great school year. You want your kids to get everything they can out of our public schools.”
Daniel Gruehn’s 8-year-old son Yuri was focused on getting out of the car and inside the elementary school located on Fayetteville Street near downtown Raleigh. But his father was more impressed by the governor’s gesture.
“I didn’t expect the governor would do the carpool and open the door,” Gruehn, a psychology professor at N.C. State University, said in an interview. “That was unexpected, but it was nice. I think Washington has a very friendly and collaborative spirit so it fits nicely into the school.”
No final state budget yet
The new school year is starting amid uncertainty for North Carolina’s public schools.
Many school districts eliminated positions and made budget cuts before classes started. State lawmakers haven’t adopted a final state budget yet and the Trump administration wants to make $12 billion in federal education cuts.
The Republican-led General Assembly is returning to Raleigh this week. But it’s unclear if and when a comprehensive state budget will be approved.
“At the moment, the legislature has not passed a full budget,” said Stein, a Democrat. “There are not meaningful pay raises for our teachers. We have some of the lowest paid teachers in the country. That is an embarrassment, and it is unacceptable.”
North Carolina was ranked 43rd in the nation in average teacher pay, according to a report released earlier this year by the National Education Association.
Public schools ‘the most important institution we have’
The new school year is also starting at a time when GOP state lawmakers have expanded the use of private school vouchers. It’s an effort also being supported by the Trump administration.
But Stein argued Monday for the value of public schools, saying North Carolina’s public schools “do an incredible job, even though we as a state don’t put enough into them.”
“Public schools are what give every child an opportunity to achieve whatever it is their dream is, whatever their potential may be,” Stein said. “It really is about the most important institution we have in the state.”
Seeing public officials like Stein and Green at Washington helped make the first day of classes even more special, according to Dr. Ashley Wofford Leong, a family physician. Stein opened the car door for Wofford Leong’s 10-year-old daughter Ellie and 7-year-old daughter Aralyn.
“Everyone was excited to go back,” Wofford Leong said in an interview. “We had a great summer, but it’s nice to be back on routine.”
Stein and Green also promoted the recent launch of the new strategic plan adopted by the State Board of Education. The plan calls for North Carolina to have the best public schools in the nation by 2030.
“Looking for a wonderful, wonderful year,” Green, a Democrat, told reporters. “The strategic plan helps us kick off this year in an amazing fashion.”
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 11:44 AM.
