[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6123228,"mediaKeyId","2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee","parentId",2690293,"title","Votes at a glance: Craven County Board approves appointment, donation, bonuses, calendars and several procedural items","audioSeconds",1700,"startMs",330000,"endMs",2030000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee&start=330&end=2030","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee/thumbnail_330000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6123228/North-Carolina/Votes-at-a-glance-Craven-County-Board-approves-appointment-donation-bonuses-calendars-and-several-procedural-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123228-f52419791576d21bc4f10e872b514abb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775219834&Signature=HS1~Ow5SujcF8FC2RlDcK9Lduq4vd2kN474OJXDWEIYMPBpanv8mRpX1p~TSILneeNivT6CHdSlKGagaTLPU8HZw6idnjD6vXfr~4rK5LWZV3RrU2G804ho-ScWhFxUnCFpapNrNvazI1WJsh-WZSxFW1Yeno-rxjfox6zeMalYMEb1xkMIqAhTXxKe0itWmBk~85K1qHfw1nlahOfJLQNWD0Yg4WlzPYhY9Xn2gt~Jt9TeAM6ADeHZaseftV5BmfuXvslUXO~lY6ZBQnYnHgvJzaPt1nyjRXE3539k36Y8ZvGE8aYQPuNvyYE2Veu4tKzYg1n-ehVUqyU0EvVptOg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Craven County Schools","date","2025-03-19T16:58:35.197Z","article","The Craven County Board of Education recorded a set of formal actions during its work session. Below is a concise summary of motions and outcomes taken during the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment: O. B. \"Lee\" Kirkman Jr. to District 2 — approved (roll call unanimous). Motion moved and seconded; roll call recorded seven \"yes\" votes.

- Donation acceptance: West Craven Eagle Club donation of a John Deere Gator TX Turf and a John Deere 2000 1200A Bunker and Field Rake (total donor cost $33,378.89) — approved (roll call unanimous). The board accepted the gift; the donor pays the full purchase amount and the equipment will be delivered following approval.

- Declaration of surplus property: Forfeited 2014 Dodge Challenger — approved (roll call unanimous). Board authorized disposal via public auction (give.gov) with proceeds to transportation.

- Tiered teacher bonus (state allotment): Board approved Option 2, a tiered one-time supplemental bonus for eligible teachers and instructional support staff; example amounts presented were about $18.80 to $19.40 per eligible employee in the tiering scheme — approved (roll call unanimous). Several trustees noted the bonus must follow state rules and cannot be used to supplant local supplements.

- School calendar amendments (2024-25 & 2025-26 early college): Board amended the 2024-25 calendars to designate Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 as a \"no day\" and add optional workdays for staff at the end of the calendar; the board also approved an optional workday on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025 for early college students to align with Craven Community College — both amendments approved (roll call unanimous).

- EOG/EOC summer remediation and \"try again\" testing plan: Board approved a district plan to offer remediation and a post-assessment \"try again\" opportunity after the last day of instruction for eligible students (not a state retest program) — approved (roll call unanimous). The plan includes windowed work days and limited student hours for remediation and testing.

- Out-of-county field trips: New Bern High School and Havelock High School FFA trips to the North Carolina FFA Center in Elizabethtown (June; fundraising completed; safety plans on file) — approved (roll call unanimous).

- Policy actions:
- Remote participation in board meetings (Policy 2302): Adopted on first reading as presented. Legal counsel advised that under current North Carolina law remote participants may take part in discussion but should not be counted toward quorum or vote except under a state-declared emergency; the board adopted the policy language on first reading and will monitor forthcoming state guidance.
- Tuition for out-of-county students (Policy 41.35): Approved as presented (first reading). The policy directs collection of the local portion of funding from out-of-county students except for qualifying employee waivers and other limited exceptions.
- Public-input policy: Board voted to table policy language revisions to allow staff to return with clearer draft language; no final change adopted at the work session.

- Human resources report: Approved as presented.

How votes were recorded: Most of the formal votes during the work session were taken by roll call, with the clerk reading board member names into the public record and recording individual \"yes\" votes. Several items were unanimous. Where a motion mattered for budgeting (for example the bonus), trustees discussed the state allotment rules that govern one-time payments.

Ending: Trustees approved the items above during the work session and directed staff to develop additional procurement and budget details for items requiring follow up. Several long-form presentations also generated requests for further analysis rather than immediate votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/18/25 Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","At the work session the board recorded votes on an appointment, an equipment donation, a tiered teacher bonus, calendar changes, a summer remediation plan and other procedural items; several votes were unanimous and the board tabled a public-input policy revision to refine language.","taxTitle","Craven County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14187,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":44,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6123233,"Craven County Board of Education appoints Lee Kirkman to District 2; appointee discloses family business tie and asks to recuse",326,656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee&start=330&end=656","/articles/6123233/North-Carolina/Craven-County-Board-of-Education-appoints-Lee-Kirkman-to-District-2-appointee-discloses-family-business-tie-and-asks-to-recuse","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123233-da664e7e8799e8b8c8040257b1c55046/orig.mp4?Expires=1775219834&Signature=OxnmFFMeDrIZNiNJffkNZiobYEsTj-SlUHHn-XHC338sd04DVefbAO~tOiCc6VhHJxNFjiKL~jI8Nb6ikxz4roeeAr9h~b3jRW3RdrcWHbRTeQ7u~xCqOJHZQv-9VkY7PFfiMGBeVYg8jlyaIARdh7iI2fcG9TKHjutxkrxq8Rv8X2iu8Zq8g~jOM5ybeCxFe-fWHOh3KCMAQUXJtqb8Pj5occ3RuGqtdKwZ6j--NvIrRf2Uh8M6N4hLKVpeYHIgCy7GslbYWVLzuNP74IrexPuSwCHrjLLxO3S4q64id~1585rzzXkzk8gU-3sDJe6aL2ovWO25LWO-KD5q-j70Mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Craven County Board of Education appointed O. B. \"Lee\" Kirkman Jr. to the District 2 seat at its work session, then administered the oath of office and heard brief remarks from the new member.

The board took a roll-call vote to fill the vacancy left by Scott Murphy and recorded a unanimous approval. After the motion and the second were recorded, the clerk called each member by name and registered a \"yes\" vote for the appointment. Following the vote, county commissioner Denny Bucher administered the oath.

Why it matters: The appointment fills an open seat on the seven-member board and brings a new voice to governance. Kirkman also disclosed a potential conflict and requested recusal if matters concerning his family's farm arise.

Kirkman's remarks and disclosure

Kirkman addressed the board after taking the oath and stressed his intention to be a conciliatory, service-minded trustee. He said his career included education, ministry, and administration and pledged to represent District 2 constituents.

Kirkman publicly disclosed a business interest: \"My family and I own and operate Kirkland Family Farms, which provides farm tours to various groups, including groups from Craven County Schools, primarily as field trips,\" he told the board. He said parents pay tour fees directly and he did not believe school funding was used to pay those fees, but he asked for \"an abundance of caution\" and requested that his fellow board members excuse him from any discussion or votes regarding matters involving his family's farm.

Kirkman asked that his statement be entered into the official minutes and said he would provide copies to the chair, vice chair, board attorney and superintendent.

What happened next: Following the oath and remarks, the meeting recessed. The board recorded the appointment and entered Kirkman's disclosure into the public record.

Ending: Kirkman took office immediately after the roll-call vote and oath. He has asked for recusal on any board matters directly involving Kirkland Family Farms; the board recorded his statement for the official minutes.","The board voted unanimously to appoint O. B. 'Lee' Kirkman Jr. to the unexpired District 2 seat. Following the oath, Kirkman disclosed that his family operates Kirkland Family Farms, which hosts school field trips, and asked to be excused from any board discussions or votes involving the farm.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6123238,"Craven County Schools analysis: many families choosing alternatives never enrolled with district, board told",1403,10990000,12393000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee&start=10990&end=12393","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee/thumbnail_10990000.jpg","/articles/6123238/North-Carolina/Craven-County-Schools-analysis-many-families-choosing-alternatives-never-enrolled-with-district-board-told","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123238-9e258cbc3fd45866d2e71e7cf1e696ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1775219834&Signature=j85y7rE-ue2OSZY-WAcv0D2jnwWHTeUO51f0SOdTQgFDUfJm~Q4rlU8fX5jdtnxJBMjZO577Z8dzHNIk7ZeFEn6oHL~ZW1N5-tE2Wb7-yT4FI4j9fTFPoHQrbzQY7S4s8rCxWUSjW7hrpBtscVfYOvekVeCDEc3hnasxeEecxGj~wfkYThXM9GM-1piCu9iBp5NOyV6~5bCcJ1H8KVCDnF2Kv97OGjlkByFPnCF~C5BkZHCGbq0O~3gE8E~AaumzUUH5IPBmt1TVyVqI7INiC~iQZ3M4A-uUBU3mOIJtFvfMN2dw43s4BmpTZE4OSZbfE9gSDGBadkwJGCuWTo5aeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A staff presentation at the board's work session laid out enrollment trends showing that although most local families use Craven County Schools, a notable number of families who opt for alternatives never enrolled with the district before leaving.

Dr. Hilary Boutwell, a district staff member, told trustees a cross-check of enrollment, charter, private and homeschooling records found that roughly 94.3% of the students in the district's data set chose public education through Craven County Schools. But she said about 22.4% of the students who later selected an alternate schooling option had \"never started with us to begin with.\"

Why it matters: State funding and staffing decisions rely on average daily membership (ADM) determinations that are fixed early in the school year. When students enroll in or return from alternatives after the state's 20-day snapshot, the district serves children without receiving the corresponding state funding, complicating budgets and staffing plans.

Key findings presented

Boutwell and her team compared district records, charter rosters and private/homeschool data back to 2013. She said the analysis showed:
- Many families who choose a non-district option did not previously enroll in Craven County Schools; Boutwell said roughly 22.4% of those who choose another option never started with the district.
- Across the private, charter and homeschool categories compiled for the report, about 18.2% of students who had been counted in the dataset had left and later returned to Craven County Schools.
- For charter schools specifically, of 738 students who left for charters in the district's record set, 39 returned (about 5.3%); two hundred seventy-two remained enrolled in charters but 210 of the 738 (about 28.5%) never attended Craven County Schools.

Boutwell said the timing of departures matters: \"Of all these put in together, 27.6%... have enrolled after the first 20 days of school. So 27.6% have come to us after the fact.\" Those late returns, she said, do not count toward state ADM allocations.

Board and administration reaction

Board members raised budget and policy concerns. Trustee Jennifer Dacey and others said the board should press the General Assembly and state officials for a midyear ADM adjustment or other changes to how the state counts membership, because the current timing creates multi-year funding implications when students enroll late.

Superintendent Dr. Miller confirmed that local and state funding flows are affected and that some local funding the district receives must be forwarded to charter schools when a resident student attends a charter. \"When you live in Jones County and you come here your guardian is paying taxes in Jones County so we're saying when you come here you're not paying taxes. So we're gonna collect that local part that we're now responsible for,\" an exchange in the meeting made clear.

What happens next: Boutwell recommended that families be invited to visit district schools and that board and staff continue to monitor choice trends and report procurement and budget impacts to the board. Trustees discussed possible legislative advocacy to permit a midyear funding adjustment or other technical fixes.

Ending: The district's cross-check of enrollment and alternative-school rosters illustrated that choice trends are not a simple outflow; many families who select alternatives never had an in-district point of comparison. Trustees asked staff to return with further analysis and requested the district pursue legislative channels to address the state's ADM timing rules if feasible.","District staff presented a yearlong review showing a majority of students remain in Craven County Schools, but a measurable share of families who choose charter, private or homeschool options never started with the district — a factor that complicates funding and comparisons.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6123244,"Craven County Schools reviews ESS substitute contract amid cost, coverage debate",1632,3457000,5089000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee&start=3457&end=5089","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2690293-b27c481b977b390832874e4e091498ee/thumbnail_3457000.jpg","/articles/6123244/North-Carolina/Craven-County-Schools-reviews-ESS-substitute-contract-amid-cost-coverage-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123244-ec161c1b7974d07a645331998a56da2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775219834&Signature=nMlWBUQpvWDzkD1AxnRQqI2D7okSFvkvIEXjmjwo8UClMhzL8DJg4Ad7b~EQMei2FPj3FBgtFYEwbAG1OZ2YCf5HfY9UN0gnZ2yb4Svj6unfcXm-jEwiLeiLByEj~HyFelX1iHQJnHuJ03mT-ZJflRtJAOFYHGGB~hAM9Uwgrfs5923S4NUQja-1ezFp8CFXzXjl-HxDP~Tzc4DTj7z4uzIq4n3G0JNMGyzZSz9drVbkoaUAoYuCUk63FTrvmi5mUSpEv-IwKj2RvZgW8r1aPK6ajOxnccHtxWszI9Hr3CIgccSVufwNpsKyH3~dGdHQNrtdXeY-UQlop9aJ8cqBLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Lakeisha Boone, a Craven County Schools staff member, told the school board the district switched to ESS for substitute staffing at the start of the 2024-25 school year and that the vendor increased the district's substitute pool and fill rates while absorbing certain administrative costs.

The presentation, given at the board's April work session, laid out the district's analysis comparing in-house substitute staffing with ESS. Boone said ESS increased the district's available substitutes by more than 100 and raised monthly fill rates \"by 7% to 15%\" in several months, while shifting background-check, payroll and worker-compensation work off district staff.

Why it matters: The ESS contract has operational benefits — principals told the board their teacher assistants are being pulled less often and had more consistent substitute coverage — but the vendor model also changes the district's cost profile. Board members and staff disagreed over whether the higher near-term cost is justified by those operational gains and whether the contract should be re-bid.

Boone told the board ESS paid for background checks and the district's absence-management software and that, year to date, ESS spending measured against the district's prior-year total substitute-related cost was lower so far ($2,248,089.28 for ESS year-to-date vs. a $2,476,443.65 total cost shown for the district's prior year). She said ESS had also reduced district expense for extended employment by roughly $52,000 so far this year.

\"We switched to ESS at the beginning of the 2425 school year,\" Boone said, describing the vendor's ability to recruit substitutes from neighboring counties and to provide a local representative who visits schools.

Board members, principals and the superintendent described operational improvements. Board member Stacy (first name not specified in the transcript) said having fewer instances where teachers sacrifice planning time improves morale. Dr. Miller, the superintendent, said that without ESS the district would either have to pay staff directly or send the state money back: \"If we don't use this money we send it back to the state. We can't do anything else with it so it's either give it to the folks that they have said we are allowed to give it to or we send it back to the state and don't give it to anyone.\" (Dr. Miller was referring to the available state funding used to support substitute and supplemental staffing costs.)

Questions about procurement and cost

Board members raised procurement questions. Darlene Gibbs asked whether ESS was a sole-source vendor; she said the board previously had discussed sole-source arrangements and asked staff to seek price comparisons. Boone said she had looked at other firms and could not find many vendors in the region that provide the same bundled service; ESS representatives in the room told the board there are two national competitors the company regularly sees in North Carolina.

An ESS representative told the board the firm charges a markup over the district's daily rate and that the district pays ESS only for substitute placements; \"If you don't need a sub, you don't pay us a penny,\" the representative said.

Boone provided the board with survey results from principals and bookkeepers: 97% reported ESS met most of their vacancy needs; 97% said they were satisfied with customer service; and 79% said ESS increased the substitute pool at their site. The presentation included monthly fill-rate charts showing higher coverage with ESS in the months after implementation.

Board direction, no formal action

The board did not vote to add or terminate the ESS contract during the work session. Several board members asked staff to pursue a competitive procurement process (an RFP); others cautioned that publicly soliciting bids could cost the district time and might not yield better service. The ESS representative urged the board to consider vendor differences beyond markup, citing on-the-ground support.

What happens next: The board asked staff to provide additional procurement options and cost comparisons for future meetings so trustees can decide whether to continue ESS under the current terms or solicit competitive bids.

Ending: The district's human-resources presentation left unresolved tradeoffs between improved daily operations and higher contracted costs; the board directed staff to return with comparative procurement information and additional cost detail before taking a formal vote.","Human resources staff told the board ESS increased substitute fill rates and reduced district staffing burden but raised the district\u00019s costs; board members asked staff to consider a competitive bid process.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Craven County Board approves appointment, donation, bonuses, calendars and several procedural items

Craven County Board of Education appoints Lee Kirkman to District 2; appointee discloses family business tie and asks to recuse

Craven County Schools analysis: many families choosing alternatives never enrolled with district, board told

Craven County Schools reviews ESS substitute contract amid cost, coverage debate