The rally, organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE), is expected to draw participants from every corner of the state. NCAE President Tamika Walker Kelly is leading the event.
Kelly said public education in North Carolina has gone underfunded for too long and warned that delays continue to harm schools and students.
"You cannot fix a decades-long problem with Band-Aid solutions. And so, we are continuing to see educators leave the profession. We are continuing to see those absences. Those vacancies affect student achievement in our state. And so that is why it is critically important that our lawmakers pass a budget right now," Kelly said.
North Carolina is the only state in the country that has not passed a state budget, which affects teacher raises and education funding.
State Rep. Zack Hawkins, a Democrat representing District 31, said the Senate is preventing progress on a budget.
"The Senate is a holdup. Yes, the House, the House is moving in the right direction, and we're standing firm on the fact that we need to raise starting teacher pay," Hawkins said.
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Hawkins, a former middle school and high school teacher, said his background in the classroom is why he is standing in solidarity with educators.
"It has to send you a message as a lawmaker that over 300 days without a budget, it's unacceptable. It's unacceptable," he said.
Teachers and education advocates say the message has remained the same for months, from school board meetings to protests: without a budget, students are directly affected.
Daniel Grant King, a substitute teacher with Durham Public Schools, said educators and families feel ignored.
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"I feel like our political system has triggered into our schools where our parents are not being heard, educators are not being heard," King said.
Educators say they are being pushed to their limits, citing fewer high school classes, larger elementary class sizes, and teachers paying out of pocket for school supplies.
"So my hope for tomorrow is that our legislature will hear loud and clear that, ah, that our schools are not just a back burner item, that our schools are the pillar of the educational system from generation to generation," King said.
Participants are expected to begin gathering at 10 a.m. The rally is scheduled to start at 11 a.m., with a march beginning at noon at Halifax Mall. A closing rally is planned for about 2:15 p.m.