News writer
A school district in North Carolina is looking to help cover the costs of much-needed upgrades, so they are turning to the North Carolina Lottery for help. Davidson County Schools is asking the state for $2.27 million in lottery revenue to help cover two high-priority projects: new metal detectors for every middle and high school in the district and roof replacements at two specific schools.
School district seeks money for safety and repairs
The request was approved by the Davidson County Commissioners, and it would use the North Carolina Education Lottery’s capital fund to pay for these repairs. The request was for 34 OPENGATE metal/weapon detectors, as well as $1.6 million worth of roofing work at Reeds Elementary and West Davidson High School.
With these upgrades, county officials said they are overdue and would also use no county funds to complete them.
The $641,000 metal detector purchase includes three portable units for each of the county’s seven high schools, two for each middle school, and one for the safety coordinator’s office. These are the same models used at Carolina Panthers games, and they can be moved during the day for visitor checks or for athletic events.
Superintendent Gregg Slate told Davidson Local, “This is an excellent opportunity to use these (funds) to add another tool to our toolkit for our schools. These are some critical projects that need to be completed.”
Commissioner Matt Mizell echoed those sentiments, saying, “I think it's a shame we have to do this, but times have changed, and we have to change with it. School safety is a prioritization.”
A bigger national issue
This request by Davidson County in North Carolina highlights a growing challenge across the country: aging school buildings tied together with shrinking budgets. This is making school districts rely on lottery revenue as a patch-fix for repairs that were once funded through state appropriations or bond packages.
North Carolina can rest assured that they are not alone. As school district needs grow, lottery funds, which were originally pitched as supplemental, are increasingly covering essentials rather than enhancements.
How other states use lottery revenue
Lottery revenue has helped in similar gap-filling roles in several states. These school districts are working with lottery officials to make sure repairs and needs are met.
In California, the lottery revenue is used by schools to purchase textbooks, computers, lab equipment, and other essential learning tools. In addition, it gives money to programs and extracurricular activities, like art, music, and sports programs. These are often at risk of being cut due to budget constraints.
For students in Idaho, their lottery revenue is shared differently. Part of the revenue goes to the state’s Permanent Building Fund, which bankrolls state capital projects, like the improvements to buildings on college campuses in the state. The majority of the money goes toward public schools, but it goes into a property tax relief fund to offset the cost of bonds and levies, which are used for these types of projects.
In Virginia, the lottery proceeds go directly into the state’s education budget. This helps to ensure that classrooms across Virginia have the resources they need to foster learning, innovation, and opportunity.
Enjoy playing the North Carolina Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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