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Wilmington City Council
School Overcrowding
and Underfunding
City Council Responsibilities
Requiring
(or ignoring) school impact data
​Before approving major developments, Council can request data on how nearby schools will be affected — but too often, this step is skipped or dismissed.
Working with county and school leaders
Council can advocate for coordinated planning with New Hanover County Schools and County Commissioners to ensure new growth aligns with school capacity and resources.
zoning and land use decisions
Decisions about density, annexation, and land use directly affect school enrollment patterns — and whether there's space left to build new schools when needed.
Approving
new housing developments
More homes mean more families — and more students. Council votes on whether to approve large-scale housing near schools that are already over capacity.
​​A 2023 study shows every school in New Hanover County is at or over capacity for the next 9 years.​​​​​
​New developments are being approved anyway — with no clear plan to accommodate the students they bring. Our schools are overcrowded because our planning is shortsighted. When City Council fails to consider school impact, students, teachers, and families suffer.