That’s a new finding from the May Carolina Journal Poll. The poll of 600 likely voters and conducted on May 10-11, 2026, found that 65 percent of respondents “support allowing North Carolina families to receive publicly funded scholarships that help students attend the school that best fits their needs.” Only 26 percent of respondents oppose the idea of publicly funded scholarships, with 9 percent of respondents unsure.
Equally impressive is how broad the support is across the political and geographical spectrum (see crosstabs). A full 67 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of Independents support providing scholarships to help students attend the school of their choice. With regard to geography, support is equally Impressive with 65 percent of rural residents, 65 percent of suburban respondents and 64 percent of Urban respondents voicing support for North Carolina’s scholarship programs.
Support is also strong across race and income categories (see crosstabs). For example, 79 percent of Hispanics, 77 percent of African- Americans and 62 percent of Whites support state scholarship programs. Across income levels, support levels zig-zag but remain high. Below $40,000, 69 percent of respondents support the scholarship programs. Support for those with incomes between $40,000 and $69,999 is even higher at 78 percent. Meanwhile, support levels for respondents in the $70,0000 to $99,999 category and over $100,000 category, are slightly lower at 60 percent and 59 percent, respectively.
These are important results. Despite the clamor of competing voices on many education issues, we need to remember: North Carolina still supports the state’s efforts to expand education options for families.
For more information about findings from the Carolina Journal poll see here.
