New Hanover County School Board discusses potential position cuts

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — The New Hanover County Board of Education met Tuesday to discuss where potential position cuts should be made one day after learning the district will not be receiving all of the additional funding requested from the county commissioners’ 2024-2025 fiscal budget. 

Board members discussed which positions in the district will need to be cut after commissioners voted to fund the school district with an additional $5.5 million dollars in operational funds above the normal level, rather than the $10.1 million the board requested. 

At previous budget workshops, the board projected it would need to cut at least 110 positions by the end of the month due to a $20 million dollar budget shortfall.  

Board members agreed that saving exceptional children (EC) and academically or intellectually gifted (AIC) positions are the top priority, though Vice Chair Melissa Mason said decisions won’t be easy to make. 

“I don’t know what will be presented that would make it easier. These are teachers, these are people, these are assistants, these are people within our community, and we want to make sure keep as many of them in their jobs, in their positions as possible,” Mason said. 

The board will discuss the budget further at their next meeting on Tuesday, June 25.