[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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",6083939,"mediaKeyId","2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703","parentId",2925633,"title","Winston-Salem/Forsyth board approves RIF plan after months of public pleas for funding","audioSeconds",2894,"startMs",6032000,"endMs",8926000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703&start=6032&end=8926","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703/thumbnail_6032000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083939/North-Carolina/Winston-SalemForsyth-board-approves-RIF-plan-after-months-of-public-pleas-for-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083939-d5f3fe214b659a1f2020d9459052f28f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770936641&Signature=h6YFO96IPTmPUJ3M1GdTqu-9TdB58Ru7ZfaibQWgui0pvTTGf7KDgdL6sYYfAxrlDdYYN9jC1kqTYJUcZorePTIMnJTNL4m6k2LCFRaqYcUimhdVHwwJrm5KUE7Msv0KEr6rhoHcx6wjrT-jz2F75b6WrhbScU9q7etkbN-LqYFxejoByx4QlES98rY0oJfD41XlGaAvT-~kjyIIsMeWPhaKCh5pE0J-S9miSgnL1VlTUWPH20vUiexq2hDOdky3b7DFhhLZteNvLMvNlHCtapizrPZkM2qLNUNdwnZvWH8zYgApI2poSamh5EKfhtxPcsAbU4hzR2xP83uh3FI5vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, NC","date","2025-04-09T16:27:14.963Z","article","The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education voted 5-3 on April 8 to implement a reduction in force (RIF) for the 2025–26 school year after a night of public comments pressing the board to seek more local funding rather than cut staff.

Board Chair Deanna Kaplan called the motion; Board Member Wood moved and Board Member Miller seconded the motion. The vote followed public remarks from dozens of parents, teachers and advocates who urged the board to present a no-cut, no-formula budget to the Forsyth County commissioners and to keep classroom and student-facing positions intact.

The superintendent’s recommendation and HR presentation laid out why district leaders said reductions were necessary now. Superintendent Tricia McManus and Chief Human Resources Officer Dr. Chris Weichardt told the board the district faces an ongoing mismatch between revenues and personnel costs. McManus said the district used about $13 million from fund balance last year and that continuing past spending patterns would leave the district at risk entering FY2026. Weichardt said the package the board approved includes 81 position changes overall, of which 42 are current employees who would be reassigned, demoted or otherwise impacted under the RIF protocol; the district projects roughly $7 million in total savings from the package and about $4.2 million in direct personnel savings tied to the positions identified for reduction.

Public commenters framed the budget discussion as a funding fight involving multiple levels of government. Jennifer Leahy, Matthew Poston, Amy Taylor North and others urged the board to “ask” the county commissioners for more than a net-neutral property tax plan and to avoid what speakers described as a permanent funding ceiling if the county adopts a formula-based approach. Kwame Kia Shaffer, founder of the Pink Boat, said the district faced a \"$16,000,000 deficit\" and asked the board to show parents how they can advocate at county hearings. Union representatives, including an unnamed speaker introduced as president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators (FCAE), urged the board not to approve layoffs and to protect special education and counseling staff.

Board members pressed administration on alternatives before the vote. Several members sought detail on non-personnel reductions, fundraising and contractual savings; Chief Financial Officer Thomas Kranz and McManus said staff had already trimmed non-personnel budgets and were preparing a more detailed list of one-time and ongoing savings for a budget workshop the board scheduled for the following week. McManus said senior administrators had volunteered furlough days and noted district expenditures last year that included $4.5 million in teacher bonuses and $2.5 million in local longevity payments.

Weichardt described the RIF process required under board policy: the district will first seek to absorb reductions through attrition and vacancies, then reassign qualified employees to open positions where possible. He said HR would notify impacted employees immediately and would hold affected staff harmless through July to give them time to consider reassignment options; employees who apply for vacant positions for which they meet minimum qualifications would be given priority without a new interview process, he said. Weichardt also said nine of the employees on the list face a large difference between their current role and potential alternate positions and that those cases are likely to be more consequential for the individuals affected.

Opponents on the board raised process and transparency concerns during discussion. Board Member Barr said he was uncomfortable voting without additional monthly budget-to-actual reporting; Board Member Miller asked that future meetings include regular fund-balance updates. Board Member Crowley cited uneven reporting in past months and said she could not vote for the RIF until she had greater confidence in the district’s financial stewardship. Vice Chair Bohannon and other board members said delaying the vote would limit HR’s ability to place impacted employees into vacancies and would increase the likelihood of deeper cuts later.

After debate the board approved the superintendent’s RIF plan by a 5–3 vote. The board directed administration to supply a fuller list of non-personnel savings and to provide monthly budget-to-actual updates going forward. HR will begin one-on-one meetings with impacted employees as early as the next day, Weichardt said.

Votes at a glance
- Implement reduction in force for FY2026 — Motion moved by Board Member Wood, seconded by Board Member Miller; outcome: approved 5–3. (Formal roll-call names not recorded in the public minutes.)
- FY2025 budget amendment number 9 — approved unanimously.
- Acceptance/appropriation of FY2024–25 NC Center for Safer Schools grant — approved unanimously (see separate article on safety grant).
- Emergency tunnel repair at East Forsyth High School (2016 bond project) — approved unanimously.
- Southwest Elementary gym HVAC contract — approved unanimously.
- Hanes Magnet School gym HVAC contract — approved unanimously.
- Mt. Tabor High School track renovation contract — approved unanimously.
- General personnel report (consent agenda) — approved unanimously.

The board scheduled a budget workshop for the following week to review additional savings, projected revenues and the district’s “ASK” to the county commissioners; McManus said any additional requests to the county would be prepared collaboratively with the board.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 4-8-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education voted 5-3 on April 8 to implement a reduction in force for the 2025–26 school year after extended public comment urging the board to seek more county funding rather than cut school staff.","taxTitle","Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",46520,"location","North Carolina","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083925,"CTE director reports rising credentials, enrollment growth in career pathways",527,5289000,5816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703&start=5289&end=5816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703/thumbnail_5289000.jpg","/articles/6083925/North-Carolina/CTE-director-reports-rising-credentials-enrollment-growth-in-career-pathways","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083925-cdad7ce03a9a9b9fc2164ef1a82ea7ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1770936641&Signature=auWmY0iajpvL4VOOyBH5cVVVG~ZvO7uOkwrwwTvHnEEifwdqngRwyrY~GJ9JbhJLYNHLGKAy6tDwkysWiw-UtQdD-M44mf5ZimemSihynKWDFYrFFFw80Iy2dfRZAhQzKQ4IKMChSd-lvLZvIuh6wV-3bHn6voK-RZ8LDFmsx67WuapcZ3dfYfsExMFH9-ZF8vK9k52y47NHN3YCbMLNtlGgTjeepCIr733qa3aTHlcLvNMg9jj8bZWHpTbbz4TQTlsA1FHULBEkEvhW5TxplpBDxhSUFNwiZiPPbCeDtCERZ5CEUBD2bhOCh02ojsu97EwaT7F~DYzKr3H4gSOC~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The board on April 8 received a career and technical education (CTE) update that highlighted gains in credential attainment and enrollment in district CTE pathways.

Dr. Kimberly Forbes, executive director of Career and Technical Education, told the board the district offers 46 pathways across 15 of the federal career clusters and served 2,240 concentrators in 2023–24, an increase of about 500 from the prior year. Forbes said CTE concentrators’ four-year graduation rate was 99 percent. She told the board the district exceeded state benchmarks for industry-recognized credential attainment (about 64.7 percent actual versus a 24.94 percent benchmark) after aggressive testing strategies and retesting opportunities.

Forbes said English II and math proficiency measures for concentrators fell short of benchmarks but met DPI’s “within 90%” allowance for meeting the measure in reading and math. Biology proficiency trailed the benchmark more substantially and she said the district would study that area further. Forbes described ongoing outreach and organization work with career-and-technical student organizations and said the district will again host the “World of Work” event for eighth and tenth graders at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in October.

The presentation was informational; the board did not take action.","District Career & Technical Education leaders said enrollment in CTE pathways and industry-recognized credentials rose last year; concentrator graduation rate was 99% while credential attainment exceeded benchmarks but science proficiency remained below state targets.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083930,"District reports growth in world languages and dual-language immersion programs",474,4553000,5027000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703&start=4553&end=5027","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703/thumbnail_4553000.jpg","/articles/6083930/North-Carolina/District-reports-growth-in-world-languages-and-dual-language-immersion-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083930-37b6c8c34b9198977f193bf2626530ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1770936641&Signature=IAFntvTISJyvZ99I3jfMdxjbQY1tKJ1roIuZZ3bGSmQ6ojntYpgovYdqnuT64UgUwbhq~ITKAeQlSkiQPFwm5B5Umbhh5in4uZYBTNYCLihOgos5WLCZYbZRqglMO3AW40SSCZimxmwKZ2R2uvqMTbVtNIH5mzoRveD8~SnBMrunnte4UMyk6n-sq9D3E1607I0yXb6ZQVC-62ZnwprjIf3DCTn2J-DvWVdx7hn~7Y9yl0R6cgNKED1FjClDGgCmwl47MVdPyd-x8N65H5cDIcGkIPFFuw63EiVglqSgJldT567x4TXmg82P3ebg-JIIZBON118uemJJbnae84yfog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The board received an update April 8 on world language and dual-language immersion (DLI) programs showing steady growth and stronger outcomes for participating students.

Dr. Leslie Baldwin, director of world languages, told the board that about 15,000 students districtwide are enrolled in world-language courses and that the district is a state leader in language education measures. She said 468 students earned the state’s Global Languages endorsement last year and that American Sign Language is the fastest-growing program by enrollment. Baldwin said staffing remains a central challenge: many new hires arrive via alternative licensure and require additional supports.

Baldwin described the district’s DLI model and results: the district operates both one-way programs (where most students are heritage Spanish speakers) and two-way programs (mix of native English and native Spanish speakers). About 1,300 students participate in DLI across several elementary schools; they feed into East Forsyth and Paisley for middle school and East Forsyth High School for high school, with planned expansion into Parkland. Baldwin said end-of-grade data for 2023–24 showed DLI classrooms often outperformed comparison classes in math, science and reading at several grade levels, and she noted UNCG is partnering with the district on a deeper multi-year data review.

Board members asked how many DLI classes exist at each grade; Baldwin said one-way schools typically have one class per grade while two-way sites may have two or more. She emphasized that DLI requires specialized instruction—tactile, visual and communicative methods rather than worksheet-driven lessons—and that teachers must be certified in content and trained in language acquisition.

The board did not take action; the presentation was informational.","Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools reported expanded world-language enrollment (about 15,000 students), growth in dual-language immersion (around 1,300 students) and high numbers of Global Languages endorsements; staff noted staffing and resource challenges for program expansion.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6083935,"Board accepts $175,000 Safer Schools grant to buy 9 open-gate weapon-detection units for middle schools",115,3903000,4018000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703&start=3903&end=4018","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2925633-464a8d9e49c0ab468bf072e96df82703/thumbnail_3903000.jpg","/articles/6083935/North-Carolina/Board-accepts-175000-Safer-Schools-grant-to-buy-9-open-gate-weapon-detection-units-for-middle-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083935-e4b065de32e92e5ce0eb25bb6ef52216/orig.mp4?Expires=1770936641&Signature=Cd6bgsK~k2MxVW6VgeMfVcOKlBarGETbr1lTrgosGe8mSzjLj4SvCzi0SEZMxi7wOLlliuU~FhPvF9AshiyfdnOLkK6dSxyardEmGIkAyQRg6qsXf2p316RIayHa7NHiIQ9Giz1Pw~O5lhxcEoiBDxK8DfIrQBtbgRenKu7QuAeLqsflH9zJ6LTmOyrEw5I6mU7ETJ4oejyKKLeJOyv7r5ZdQANqokxTqgDpoLlc7W6mE~DhnlllwmLMH-4tb-oQjTNdhuH-tZ2k2KCeHmu18Xu1LycKMMvmqDFVAramc2Roo0dpVSM5TBc4z1z247X4NxyhBbovD0YQJKMn2uHabA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education on April 8 unanimously approved accepting and appropriating $175,000 awarded through the North Carolina Center for Safer Schools safety grant to buy open-gate weapon-detection systems for middle schools.

Jonathan Wilson, the district’s chief security and emergency management officer, told the board the district requested the maximum allowable $500,000 this year but was awarded $175,000. He recommended using the grant to purchase nine open-gate systems for nine middle schools and to buy necessary batteries and spare parts.

Wilson said the district has piloted “open gate” systems at several high schools and four middle schools after initially deploying eight devices; the new purchase would bring the fleet to about 22 devices. He told the board open gates are faster for daily entry than traditional metal detectors and are lighter and less prone to breakage. Wilson estimated a program to equip every school the way the district prefers would cost roughly $1.8 million to $2.0 million; he said the district could build out a fleet over time. Wilson also said the Milwaukee rechargeable batteries used by the devices are inexpensive and that Wake Forest and other local users of the systems reported few maintenance problems if the equipment is well maintained.

Board members asked implementation questions. Board Member Brown Gaither asked whether existing open gates were being used daily; Wilson replied that open gates are deployed on a rotating pilot schedule and are in daily use at high schools as they rotate into new schools, while traditional metal detectors are used for randomized searches and safe-entry events where daily scanning would create backlogs. Wilson and other staff said volunteers could assist with crowd management but should not be asked to search student bags; school staff and district security handle searches.

Wilson said the grant funds must be spent by June. Board Member Barr reiterated that equipping all schools with open gates should be a priority and said he would consider using fund balance if the board wanted to accelerate purchase of a full fleet. The board voted to accept the grant funds unanimously; the motion was moved by Board Member Barr and seconded by Board Member Miller.

The board also approved a separate FY2025 budget amendment (motion passed unanimously) and several facilities contracts later in the meeting that staff said will not affect the grant purchase.

The appropriation authorizes procurement staff to begin purchasing the nine systems and supporting equipment; staff will provide the board an update on expenses and deployment timing.","The board accepted a state safety grant and authorized using $175,000 toward 9 open-gate weapon-detection systems for middle schools; staff said the devices are faster to operate than traditional metal detectors and estimated a full fleet would cost $1.8–2.0 million.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Winston-Salem/Forsyth board approves RIF plan after months of public pleas for funding

CTE director reports rising credentials, enrollment growth in career pathways

District reports growth in world languages and dual-language immersion programs

Board accepts $175,000 Safer Schools grant to buy 9 open-gate weapon-detection units for middle schools