The school system’s budget deficit came after the county approved its budget last week. Pender County Schools requested a $4 million increase in operational funding from the county. That money would go to the school district’s everyday expenses. The county gave PCS a $1.3 million bump for operational funding, leaving the district in a $2.7 million hole.
The county gave the district $6 million for capital funding. That’s money that can only be put towards long-term investments in things like facility maintenance, HVAC, transportation, or technology.
Superintendent Breedlove outlined four main areas PCS is considering for budget cuts. He said the district is looking at removing 21 non-teaching staff positions. These are roles supporting teachers, mostly through professional development for beginner teachers and exceptional children (EC) services. This is the biggest cut, and it would save PCS almost $2 million.
Breedlove also proposed reducing the number of EC coordinators by 80%. The exceptional children’s department supports students with special needs through individualized support. He warned that this change could bring due process complaints and state litigation, as fewer students are able to get the help they need.
These staff reductions come as Breedlove said 86% of the district’s operational budget goes toward paying staff and providing benefits. When considering what staff positions to cut, he said PCS prioritized keeping teachers to avoid increases in class size that would impact students.
The school system also plans to cut substitute teacher funding by 25%. Breedlove said this could lead to stress, burnout, and loss of planning time for teachers forced to pick up the slack or come to work sick.
Lastly, the district is considering fully eliminating professional development funding. Breedlove said that won’t necessarily translate to teachers never receiving professional development training, but it will put a strain on a limited number of PCS employees to handle training in-house. He thinks there will be less participation in workshops, training, and coaching. Professional training is required to keep your North Carolina teaching license.
PCS looked at a number of other possible budget cuts, including moving coaches back to classrooms and cutting athletics, but ultimately decided against them. Overall, Breedlove said he’s concerned the school district’s current financial situation could reverse recent progress in Pender County schools. He said he doesn’t know what the future holds, but that PCS will “prepare for the worst.”
During public comment, a number of school staff members and educators shared their concern about the district’s proposed budget cuts. Brittany Moore, the principal of C.F. Pope Elementary, spoke about the importance of teacher-support staff and EC coordinators through tears.
She said, “Our school is on the brink of exiting low-performance school status. The loss of critical support positions threatens the momentum we have diligently built to maintain.”
Wednesday night, the county commission will hold a joint meeting with county commissioners to discuss the financial needs of the school system. The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Commissioner Board Room at 805 S Walker Street in Burgaw.
PCS Board of Education member Beth Burns asked the public to come and share their perspectives with the county. She said, “We need your support, and it’s not just on social media. We need you to actually show up [tonight].”