• Recent polling results suggest that the majority of North Carolinians are dissatisfied with the quality of the K–12 education in their local schools, yet many would still select a traditional public school for their child, even if money wasn’t a factor
  • Support for open enrollment, which allows students to choose their own public schools, is strong in North Carolina across party lines, as well as among racial minorities and low-income families
  • Open enrollment could provide a solution not only for families who are dissatisfied with their child’s assigned school but also for school districts facing declining enrollment

Nearly three-quarters of respondents to a recent Carolina Journal Poll said that they would support a policy giving students the opportunity to transfer to a public school of their choice, rather than attend the one based solely on where they live.

This kind of policy, often known as open enrollment, provides choices among traditional public schools. Depending on the policy, students may transfer to other public schools within their residentially assigned school district or to a school in a completely different school district.

North Carolina lags behind most other states on open enrollment

Open enrollment would provide another avenue for school choice in North Carolina, which has a thriving private school sector, as well as many home schools. The state also offers charter schools, magnet schools, and even virtual schools.

In 2023, North Carolina established itself as a leader in private-school choice by becoming just the ninth state to pass a private-school choice program with universal eligibility. As of March 2025, more than 80,000 students were using this program to help cover the costs of private schooling.

Unlike most states, however, North Carolina does not have any kind of open enrollment policy at the state level that gives students choices within the traditional public-school space.

In a 2024 study of states’ open enrollment policies, North Carolina was one of 33 states whose policies merited an “F” grade. Making matters worse, however, North Carolina was one of only four states that failed to score even a single point.

Open enrollment scores by state, 2024

Source: Jude Schwalbach, “Public Schools Without Boundaries 2024”

Polling reveals dissatisfaction with local schools, support for public-school choice

Results of recent polling suggest that most North Carolinians have become dissatisfied with the quality of the K–12 education in their local schools and that many would feel uncomfortable sending their kids to their assigned public school. About a third of respondents, however, would still select a traditional public school for their child, even if money wasn’t a factor, and nearly three-quarters support the concept of open enrollment, which allows families to choose among traditional public schools.

According to the January 2025 Carolina Journal Poll, 55 percent of respondents reported being dissatisfied with the quality of the education currently received by K–12 students in local schools (a 15 percent increase from the same time the year prior).

In addition, a significant number of respondents (37 percent) said they would feel uncomfortable sending their child to their local (i.e., assigned) public school. The reasons for this discomfort varied, from concerns about the school’s curriculum or educational values (29 percent) and academic quality (25 percent) to school safety (17 percent) and a preference for other kinds of schools, like private or charter schools (13 percent).

Despite these answers, however, a significant percentage of North Carolinians would still choose to send their child to a traditional public school, even if money wasn’t an object and they could select any kind of school. Thirty percent of respondents chose traditional public schools, while 42 percent chose private schools, 11 percent selected charter schools, 10 percent said home schools, and less than 1 percent picked virtual schools, with 6 percent undecided.

Taken together, the answers suggest that many North Carolinians have become dissatisfied with the quality of education in their local school district and in their child’s assigned school, yet a significant number still want to send their kids to a traditional public school.

Open enrollment could provide the solution for these families.

Some districts in North Carolina, including Pitt County Schools, Granville County Public Schools, and Union County Public Schools, have adopted policies on open enrollment at the district level, but even these policies are sometimes limited. Students in Union County, for example, can apply to other schools within the district if capacity allows, but students who reside outside the district can’t enroll in Union County schools, except in three very limited cases.

Although districts like these have adopted open enrollment policies, many have not. And several other states have universal policies that do a much better job of expanding access to traditional public schools for all students throughout the state.

Polling suggests that open enrollment would be popular with North Carolina families. Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72 percent) said they supported the idea of open enrollment, while just 21 percent were opposed, and 7 percent were unsure. Support for open enrollment was strong across party lines, as well as among racial minorities and low-income families.

Views on open enrollment in K–12 public schools

Open enrollment could provide a solution not only for families, but for school districts as well. Traditional public school enrollment statewide has declined by 3 percent since the 2019–20 school year alone, and school districts are taking notice. Guilford County Schools, for example, is projected to lose 3,000 students by the 2035 school year, a decline district leaders said was tied to “an increase in [the] popularity of charter and private schools,” among other factors.

Policymakers, education leaders, and others concerned with slowing declining enrollment in public schools should welcome open enrollment as a chance to market these schools as the best choice for students and families throughout North Carolina.

Implementing a statewide open enrollment policy in North Carolina would require answering some practical questions. For example, who would be responsible for transporting students participating in open enrollment to their chosen schools? What happens if a student wants to attend a school that is already at capacity? Would students who want to attend their residentially assigned school be prioritized? Learning from states like Wisconsin, which has implemented statewide open enrollment for decades, could suggest ways to address these concerns and ensure successful implementation of open enrollment so that it truly expands access to public schools.

Three-quarters of K–12 students in North Carolina attend traditional public schools. Don’t these students deserve the chance to choose the one that works best for them?