Buncombe County -- May 2, 2026: Hundreds of Buncombe County Schools teachers were notified on April 28, 2026, that a state-funded supplemental payment, known as PRC 071, would immediately cease, impacting their monthly compensation. This significant loss for educators in Asheville and surrounding areas comes at a critical time, threatening educational quality for children across mountain communities and exacerbating existing recruitment and retention challenges in a region already grappling with a rising cost of living.
The Supplemental Funds for Teacher Compensation (PRC 071) is a program legislated annually by the state since 2023. It requires counties to fall below a specific real property tax threshold to remain eligible for the extra state support.
The Funding Gap
The Threshold Conflict: Eligibility for the state supplement currently requires a county’s assessed taxable real property to be below $50.9 billion.
Rising Assessments: Due to Buncombe’s property boom and a second-home influx that has inflated assessments, the county's value rose to approximately $62.3 billion, disqualifying local teachers from the fund.
The Legislative Fix: District spokesperson Ken Ulmer confirmed the funds were included in April paychecks but discontinued thereafter. He noted that had the proposed Senate budget passed, the eligibility threshold would have been raised to $70 billion, which would have kept Buncombe County educators eligible this year.
Immediate Impact on Schools
In response to the sudden pay cut, the region saw immediate operational shifts:
Buncombe County Schools designated May 1, 2026, as a teacher workday after more than 600 staff members requested leave, making student supervision impossible.
Asheville City Schools made attendance optional for the day to allow for staff participation in advocacy efforts.
The Raleigh Rally: Busloads of educators from both districts traveled to the state capital for the "Kids Over Corporations" rally, demanding action on the delayed state budget and prioritizing education funding over other corporate interests.
Community and Economic Concerns
Teachers argue that legislative inaction prioritizes corporate interests over the needs of "kids." Beyond individual compensation, the turmoil raises long-term concerns regarding:
School Staffing: Increased difficulty in filling vacancies in a high-cost-of-living area.
Local Programs: Potential strain on after-school initiatives and emergency responses in education-dependent neighborhoods.
Retention: The loss of crucial state support may drive veteran educators out of the profession or the region.
This legislative stalemate leaves teachers in Buncombe County and three other North Carolina districts without essential financial support during a period of record-high local property valuations.