PENDER COUNTY (WWAY) — The Pender County Board of Education held a special meeting Monday to discuss its proposed budget for the upcoming school year, with a focus on funding levels and how dollars are distributed across the district.
The proposed budget totals $38 million, an increase of nearly $3 million from the previous year. Much of the county’s funding comes from taxpayer dollars, making local revenue a key factor in the district’s financial planning.
A major point of discussion was per-pupil spending — the amount of money allocated on average for each K-12 student. For the 2024-25 school year, Pender County ranked near the bottom statewide, coming in 113th out of 115 districts, well behind neighboring New Hanover and Brunswick counties…