Robeson County schools planned to use $14.6 million in federal money to make much-needed upgrades at some of its buildings: Replace the heating and air system at Lumberton High, add classrooms at two other high schools and replace the windows at three elementary schools.
So, school leaders were shocked when the U.S. Department of Education said late last month the promised money, which had been part of COVID-19 relief funds, was canceled.
U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the money is being cut because the emergency that led to the funding—COVID-19—is over.
North Carolina state schools Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green and State Board of Education Chairman Eric Davis are urging McMahon to reverse the decision.
The Robeson County school board voted on Tuesday to allocate $2.2 million from its budget to pay contractors, who have already started work on some of the projects. While the vote was unanimous, many members of the nonpartisan board—made up of six Democrats and five unaffiliated voters—expressed frustration.
Robeson ranks last in the state for local per-student spending, according to the Public School Forum of North Carolina. The county, where nearly 30% of people live in poverty, lacks a significant tax base that allows wealthier counties to allocate larger amounts of local money to schools.
Through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program, part of the broader Education Stabilization Fund, federal money was distributed to school districts in three rounds between March 2020 and March 2021. Each round had different restrictions on what the money could be used for and varying deadlines for when the funds had to be spent.
North Carolina has spent 99% of its total ESSER allocation, with $44.3 million remaining, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.
As of February, Robeson County had spent only 74% of its $156.6 million in ESSER funds, leaving nearly $40 million unspent, according to an analysis by Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University.
Much of the unspent money is due to construction delays, according to Bobby Locklear, assistant superintendent of Robeson County schools. Supply chain issues for HVAC units and windows stalled projects. One piece of HVAC equipment took 58 weeks to be delivered.
Construction crews can only work when students and staff are out of the buildings for extended periods, like holiday breaks and summer vacations, Locklear said.
Robeson County schools applied for an extension to spend the money, which was originally granted under the Biden administration through early 2026.
The $11 million HVAC project at Lumberton High School had been on the district’s wish list for years, but there was never enough money, Locklear said. The federal program offered a way to get it done.
Robeson County schools could re-apply for an extension to receive the money, a process that will be reviewed on a project-by-project basis.
Author: staff report
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