The battle over the budget is heating up in the State Senate. Senate Republicans say their newly unveiled $19 billion plan reforms education, and adds more than 1,100 teachers.
Democrats and education leaders say it will cut 20,000 jobs.
Rodney Ellis is an officer with the state educators' union, the NCAE.
He says the plan would put North Carolina dead last in the country for per-pupil spending, and put more people out of work.
"They're worried about what they're going to do to put food on the table at home. They're worried about the ability to go into their classroom and have the resources and support that they need," Ellis said.
Republicans say their plan will help improve education, putting more teachers in the classrooms, though cutting other jobs. Republican Phil Berger, the N.C. Senate President Pro Tempore, says the budget accomplishes a lot for education.
He explained the goals: "Lowering class size and hiring an additional 1,100 teachers in grades 1, 2, and 3 to emphasize our need for having the students reading by the time they complete the third grade."
Union leaders and democrats argue cutting about 20,000 teacher assistants, bus drivers and other jobs will harm education.
The Republican leaders, in charge for the first time in more than a century, say they have to cut spending that's increased over 10 years.
"This is a responsible budget that cuts taxes, reforms education, reduces spending - and it does it all in the context of a $2.5 billion shortfall," Berger said.
Minority Leader Democratic Senator Martin Nesbitt asked, "This is reform of education? It's synonymous with destruction. This is destroying the public education system."
Nesbitt argued that keeping the one penny sales tax would save jobs and schools, and be what the voters want, too.
"The people of this state are not going to sell out the public schools for a tax break. They have said that in most polls I've seen," Nesbitt said.
The State Senate plans to vote on the spending plan on May 31.
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