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ATTACHMENT B <br /> > GAPS AND TRENDS (CONTINUED) <br /> LARGE SPENDING DISPARITIES CONTINUE <br /> TO INCREASE <br /> The gap between the highest and lowest spending counties has 25 YEARS AFTER LEAND. <br /> increased dramatically since the mid-1990s. This year's study DISPARITIES REMAIN <br /> found a slightly larger gap than in previous years: $2,445 per <br /> student, compared with $2,364 last year, and $2,316 the year <br /> prior. Orange County, the highest spending district in the state, In 1994,five school districts in low-wealth counties <br /> spends more than eleven times more per student than Swain along with families filed a lawsuit against the state <br /> County at the bottom.The ten highest-spending counties (Leandro v.State of North Carolina)arguing that <br /> spend 4.3 times more per child ($3,200 per child) than the ten their school districts did not have enough money to <br /> lowest-spending counties ($755 per child). <br /> provide an equal education for their children,de- <br /> LOCAL SCHOOL FUNDING: IMPACTS ON L spite the fact that they taxed their residentshigher <br /> SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS than average. <br /> One of the most notable impacts of inadequate local resources • - • • <br /> is that low-wealth school districts have a harder time Halifax, Robeson,Vance and •- • <br /> attracting and retaining high quality and experienced teachers were among the lowest funded in the state, remain <br /> due to their inability to offer competitive salary supplements toward the bottom of our • of <br /> like those offered in wealthier counties. Although these ability to support public schoolson per pupil basis. <br /> counties do obtain funding from the state for instructional Robeson Countyonce again ranks •-•• last <br /> staff, it is not enough to meet growing needs. Along with the ability to pay for • <br /> population,the economy of North Carolina is changing - <br /> meaning that costs associated with hiring and retaining <br /> professionals have increased and state funding has not kept up <br /> with these increased costs. <br /> SPENDING DISPARITIES (2016-17) WIDENING SPENDING GAP <br /> 2,500 <br /> $5,000 <br /> • <br /> $4,000 • <br /> 2,000 <br /> $3,000 <br /> • <br /> $2,000 ROBESON $534 1,500 <br /> GRAHAM $523 <br /> $1,000 <br /> BOTTOM SEVEN COUNTIES O� oi°j 00 O� Off' O� Oa Oy OHO O^ Oz <br /> If the bottom seven counties'total current spending per student were The spending gap between the top ten spending and bottom ten spending <br /> combined,they would still spend$396 less per child than Orange County counties has grown from$1,094 per student in 1997 to$2,445 per student <br /> spends by itself.(See Table 2) in 2017.The gap has increased from last year,when it was$2,364 per <br /> student.(See Table 2) <br /> >12 <br />