The Facts: The School Funding Agreement on which the County Commission will vote on January 6, 2026, establishes the framework under which Buncombe County provides local operating funding to City and County public school systems. The agreement clarifies the mechanisms for allocating resources to meet operating needs and accommodates adjustments for enrollment changes or emergency conditions. It aims to maintain continuity in financial support for both Asheville City Schools and Buncombe County Schools.

Review the School Funding Agreement presentation here and the Proposed Local Funding Formula here.

Our Assessment: Funding decisions for education are central to racial and social justice because disparities in school resources can have long-term effects on student outcomes and life opportunities. Low-income students, English language learners, and students with disabilities often require additional resources to achieve educational equity. Without transparent reporting and data disaggregation (breaking data down by these and other categories), the County and the public cannot assess whether local funding aligns with these needs.

The current agreement provides stability and administrative order but lacks explicit mechanisms for visibility into how resources are distributed by student demographics or need categories. This absence of data makes it difficult to evaluate whether equity objectives—such as narrowing gaps in access, opportunity, and achievement among students of different races, income levels, and disability statuses—are being met.

Importantly, increasing transparency does not commit the County to immediate redistributive actions, but it does create an evidence base for informed deliberation and future improvements in alignment with the County’s equity goals.

Our Proposal: Buncombe County Commissioners can take the following actions:

• Require an annual equity impact summary alongside the School Funding Agreement using disaggregated data by student demographics (e.g., income level, race, disability, language).
• Use that information to inform future funding conversations and identify structural inequities in the process of distributing resources in the years to come.
• Frame transparency as aligned with the County’s commitment to data-driven equity and accountability.

Things to do: Join us in calling on Buncombe County leaders to address equity issues with education, as well as two other issues on the January 6th agenda highlighted on this page. Please see the template included in the “Buncombe County is growing tourism while working families are still waiting” report. If you want more information on the other two issues before you send your letter, read on above and below this item on this page.

Report Back

Our suggestion that the County do an annual equity impact summary was not discussed and the agreement was approved without a discussion of ensuring funding is being allocated appropriately to meet student needs.

Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 21

Recipients and Responses:

Buncombe County Commission

• County Manager Avril Pinder: No response
• County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards: No response
• County Commissioner Al Whitesides: No response
• County Commissioner Drew Ball: No response
• County Commissioner Jennifer Horton: No response
• County Commissioner Martin Moore: No response
• County Commissioner Parker Sloane: No response
• County Commissioner Terri Wells: No response