North Carolina has long prided itself on strong public schools. Yet today, our state ranks near the bottom nationally in per-pupil funding: more than $4,000 below the national average. We invest just 2.32% of our GDP in public K-12 education, the lowest percentage in the country. Teacher salaries also trail the national average by nearly $12,000.

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Terence believes that if we expect excellence from our students and educators, we must be willing to invest accordingly. Strong public schools are not only a moral obligation. They are essential to workforce development, economic growth, and long-term competitiveness.He supports raising teacher and school employee pay, reducing class sizes, expanding career and technical education programs, and investing in quality pre-K so students are prepared from the start.

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Terence believes parents deserve real choice. That begins with ensuring public schools are strong, well-funded, and the best option for North Carolina families. He opposes diverting taxpayer dollars to private voucher programs without clear accountability and performance standards.