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Parents and residents urge Surry County commissioners to prioritize school funding
Summary
Two residents told the board that Surry County ranks near the bottom statewide in local per-student funding (about $1,400 per student) and urged commissioners to treat education as an investment in long-term economic development.
Two residents told the Surry County Board of Commissioners on May 4 that local investment in public schools requires higher priority as the county balances competing budget demands.
Lizzie Morrison, a lifelong Surry County resident and parent, said she respects the difficulty of balancing budgets but urged the board to consider education a strategic long-term investment that drives workforce readiness and economic competitiveness. Citing the Public School Forum of North Carolina, she said Surry County's base local appropriation for the 2023-24 school year was about $1,400 per student — roughly 80th out of 100 counties — and noted neighboring counties invest more per pupil.
"Every child in Surry County deserves strong educational opportunities, and this county deserves to remain competitive and positioned for future growth," Morrison said.
Nicole Harrison, a parent and local business owner, said low local funding and state-level pressure on teacher pay affect families' decisions to move to or remain in Surry County. She urged commissioners to weigh long-term benefits when setting local priorities.
Commissioners acknowledged the constraints of state and federal funding, noted competition among three local school systems for the same dollars and said the board must weigh trade-offs for other county responsibilities. Chair noted the county has provided capital funds for schools over time and that raising countywide revenues to match some municipal levels would carry a multi-million-dollar price tag for Surry County.
The board did not take any immediate action on school funding during this meeting; commissioners said they will continue to consider priorities during upcoming budget deliberations.
