RALEIGH (January 7, 2026) – We need to either revamp the so-called North Carolina Education Lottery or remove ‘Education’ from its name.
It’s a scam – a fraud the state of North Carolina perpetrates on its own citizens.
Audit results released last week revealed that just 16% of dollars spent on the so-called “Education” Lottery go to K-12 public education.
Schools got just 23% of lottery sales in 2023, 20% in 2024 and yes – 16% in 2025.1
To call it an “education” lottery is a falsehood for the people of North Carolina.
So either change the name or reallocate how the dollars are spent. It’s a matter of truth in labeling.
WHEN THE LOTTERY originally passed the NC General Assembly in 2005, the legislation said 35% of the funds must be spent on public schools. Our upstanding civil servants in the General Assembly later softened that by adding, “to the extent practicable.”2
The splintering of lottery dollars reflects the Christmas tree of ornaments it took to satisfy various constituencies – particularly in the state House – when the legislature passed the lottery: Some wanted 10% to go to college scholarships. Later, some wanted a certain percentage to go to school technology. And so on…
NORTH CAROLINIANS often misunderstand just how little the lottery actually raises for public education: “I thought we have a lottery to pay for education” is a common refrain.
Now $1 billion3 might seem like a lot to most folks.
But it’s just 5.9% of the $17.8 billion the state spent on public education in 2024-254 – about 1/17 of spending. Even if you remove $6.3 billion in COVID relief funds the state received from the federal government last year,5 it’s just 8.3% of the state budget for public schools.
So North Carolinians, please don’t be deceived that the “Education” Lottery is for education or will solve public education’s problems.
And don’t dare call it an Education Lottery if just 16% goes to education.
That name is a sham. It is a scam. And guess who’s responsible? The politicians you elect to the North Carolina General Assembly.
If you don’t like it, please do something about it.
1 https://www.wral.com/news/nccapitol/nc-education-lottery-reduces-funding-public-schools-dec-2025/; https://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/article314054187.html.
2 https://journalnow.com/opinion/column/article_e0330453-f929-4011-bba3-40adfe15409a.html.
3 https://www.wral.com/news/nccapitol/nc-education-lottery-reduces-funding-public-schools-dec-2025/.
4 https://apps.schools.nc.gov/apx212/f?p=145:32.
5 https://www.ednc.org/03-17-2025-highlights-of-the-budget-for-north-carolina-public-schools-is-out-for-2024-25/.
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