Cuts to NC Governor’s School unjustified

In tough fiscal times, even educational programs can end up on the chopping block. But the general assembly’s proposal to cut funding to the North Carolina Governor’s School—aimed at helping plug the state’s projected $2.4 billion state deficit for fiscal year 2012—cuts too much too fast.

The NCGS, a six-week summer residential program, aims to bring together intellectually gifted high school students from across the state and expose them to diverse academic fields. The school was entirely free to select students before last year, when a $500 tuition fee was created to make up for decreased state funding.

While we understand the fiscal concerns that precipitated this decision, proper respect for the benefits of this program requires that the legislature explore alternative funding models instead of cutting this program wholesale.

The NCGS is an institution in its own right. It shares a considerable history with Duke and other institutions of higher education in North Carolina. The program was founded in 1963 by former Gov. Terry Sanford just six years before he became president of Duke University and is a living testament to the value of the life of the mind in North Carolina—the same value upon which liberal arts institutions like Duke are built.

The N.C. Governor’s School disproportionately benefits students from underserved demographics. These students, often from low-income, rural schools, stand to acquire the greatest benefits from NCGS’s cutting-edge academic programs and from the program’s diverse student body. The proposal to cut funding would undermine access to NCGS for the students who need it most.

If the legislature cuts funding to NCGS, it will eliminate an important long-term investment in the youth of the state. The connections NCGS students make with fellow students create diverse networks of contacts across the state. These peer networks can encourage college-bound kids to attend college in North Carolina and become more engaged in the future of their state.

Furthermore, the budget proposal draws attention to a troubling trend—governments cutting education spending at local levels while higher education simultaneously becomes less and less accessible. The N.C. General Assembly can buck this trend by preserving NCGS. The very existence of the program sends a strong message—that education can be beneficial beyond its ability to improve standardized test scores.

The state must look for a more sustainable funding model in order to guarantee that this program does not fall victim to the state’s fiscal challenges. The state only stands to save the a total of $849,588 by cutting funding to NCGS. This is no small beer. But when these cuts are taken in the context of an overall budget deficit of more than $2.4 billion, they begin to appear more petty and less justifiable. A complete, unequivocal cut of all legislative funding for this program is not acceptable.