Higher Ed Works

Higher Ed Works dba as Public Ed Works continued in 2025 to expand - expand its budget, expand its staff and expand its audience. Thanks to one magnanimous donor in particular but hundreds of other supporters as well, the organization grew its budget to more than $1 million, yet it finished the year with enough funds on hand to support an additional 15 months of operation. The organization grew its followers on social media to more than 200,000, and its website had 116,000 visitors. Through its newsletter, social channels, and advertising that ranged from billboards to digital media, Higher Ed Works dba Public Ed Works reached nearly 8.8 million people with its messaging, versus 5.9 million in 2024, prompting its audience to take more than 16 million actions. In its messaging, the organization focused on: The inability of the NC General Assembly to pass a budget, making North Carolina the only state in the nation that failed to pass a new budget for 2025-26. How a vast NC expansion in taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools drains budget dollars that otherwise could go to support public schools. No raises for K-12 teachers or other state employees (including community college and university faculty and staff) to keep pace with inflation. The state fell to 46th in average K-12 teacher pay and 50th in funding effort - the percentage of gross domestic product the state devotes to K-12 public education. No increase in enrollment funds for the 17-campus University of North Carolina System - even though, unlike most U.S. universities, the UNC System saw an increase in enrollment in 2024 and 2025. No decision from the NC Supreme Court on the Leandro school-support lawsuit, which had been batted around North Carolina's court system for 31 years since it was first filed in 1994. With its longtime executive director planning to retire in 2026, the organization also hired a new executive director as a successor in the fall of 2025. And it made plans to further expand its