Corrected: This story originally misidentified Gov. Easly as a Republican. He is a Democrat.
North Carolina Gov. Michael F. Easley has issued an executive order directing the state to free up $75 million in emergency education aid after the legislature failed to pass a budget for the fiscal year that began July 1. Much of the money will go to low-wealth districts, college-based high school programs, and school-based child- and family-support teams. Mr. Easley, a Democrat, had included the funds in his budget request.