Despite a significant decrease in federal funding, K-12 education spending in North Carolina broke the $12 billion mark last year, according to the NC Department of Public Instruction.
| School Year | State Sources | Federal Sources | Local Sources | Total |
| 2012-2013 | $7,706,801,545 | $1,470,124,139 | $2,975,235,140 | $12,152,160,824 |
| 2011-2012 | $7,599,573,456 | $1,675,408,103 | $2,683,319,423 | $11,958,300,982 |
| 2010-2011 | $7,277,494,587 | $1,909,891,466 | $2,675,887,290 | $11,863,273,343 |
