[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6242978,"mediaKeyId","3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f","parentId",3243481,"title","District seeks two-year endowment to fund 42 school specialists, pilot program to collect data on staffing needs","audioSeconds",652,"startMs",5428000,"endMs",6080000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f&start=5428&end=6080","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f/thumbnail_5428000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6242978/North-Carolina/District-seeks-two-year-endowment-to-fund-42-school-specialists-pilot-program-to-collect-data-on-staffing-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242978-c9e1a7a6f97431f32a092bd479fde783/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146928&Signature=HXzwpM~7FNEVmUsJalGD0gCho1A2~Xr-qXNBkOsCmNI2M~BEOJ15QTBlHB0jWpiqsYoNHk0-rK9N-lmlnAvsLUomap~HXjJwp647FpgromFO5Q6ItxR6mcvfkUKojBqHwT~EcE33VLVth2kp4EdTQ-gTzF4yDdxjqxSzkG3JxNmEK9bt707PfwAkPYuPK~CF0eyrTsFIx3LbTuac-GACqM9k4IkXv5i5l52pF~3FCcrTVXOViP3Zv58848XKQUj~n~OrEIUX85RKmZFzhLjr5kDHoTlkGkY~X4U5HcNa~H1Kp2uNYmHVbh0NHvSsUdmMzzwlJ78u1gg~-AtIxtA9fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hanover County Schools","date","2025-05-09T06:47:17Z","article","Dr. Barnes and district staff asked the committee on May 20 to support a two‑year endowment request to fund 42 school specialist positions that would be placed at schools based on local priorities.

The positions would allow each participating campus to choose a specialist aligned to its school improvement goals — for example, academic remediation, academic extension, behavioral support, graduation-rate work, or services for exceptional children. Julie and Robin (district staff) described an implementation framework based on the STOIC problem‑solving model (Structure, Teach, Observe, Interact, Correct), which the district plans to pilot alongside the Safe and Civil Schools program.

“We are hoping to move, full steam ahead with Safe and Civil Schools work in the next school year,” Julie said, and staff intend to partner with UNC Wilmington to design an evaluation and progress-monitoring plan so the district can produce “a comprehensive data driven response to our state decision makers on allotment.”

Dr. Barnes framed the endowment as a time-limited pilot that would produce evidence to accompany the district’s ongoing requests for changes to state funding formulas. She said the district needs the positions now, and emphasized that the pilot is intended to generate results that can be used in state advocacy about allotment funding.

Several commissioners asked whether the proposal would become a recurring county ask if not funded by the endowment. Dr. Barnes said publicly that she does not intend to turn the two‑year endowment positions into an ongoing county funding request, but added that if the endowment is not approved she would return to other funding options. The committee requested that the district put those commitments in writing and clarified that the endowment proposal is for a pilot period.

No formal vote on county funding was taken. Staff said they will proceed with the written materials and evaluation design for the endowment submission and will return to the committee with details as the proposal develops.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NHCS Board of Ed. Finance Committee Meeting | May 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent and staff requested endowment funding to pilot 42 school specialist positions using an evidence-based framework (Safe and Civil Schools/STOIC) and an UNC Wilmington evaluation; staff said the pilot would provide data to press for changes in state allotment formulas.","taxTitle","New Hanover County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14191,"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},6242982,"Board and county officials debate long-range capital plan, bond timing and debt capacity",5847,1275000,7122000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f&start=1275&end=7122","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f/thumbnail_1275000.jpg","/articles/6242982/North-Carolina/Board-and-county-officials-debate-long-range-capital-plan-bond-timing-and-debt-capacity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242982-7bfbdeb12f41f76fd011f3c00a87f5f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146928&Signature=ouq36hQ1~7SHId36cF1JTabf0lnUiNBy~gD0ARccgRY4dprGGRoewfr1CHY5xeYnn1w8HiF-GwDOm5xzRRGDWBEC~-0lztO8fL0o0YXJCAqLx-7g0x-honrOJJW9pNtLlAq~IC0MFg0bR5UQhhIBnd5eY49shmpQ~Ru0a2uQdZEDkpll0n7O5jH6fK1t~n8iSEseTtELL7DbXFkaP24XuSWIx9gzq4rXuuNizsn~f2fX-q91xpthDns0nxfP9kyJIGbsIHap4hCqStJ5-Q568C06p44XiupvF8GU5MW9EIuibBFNqKSqJXiyvVDB6z87G9NnVCCnqvxzZq3ekulUrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The New Hanover County Schools facilities committee spent substantial time on May 20 discussing a long-term capital improvement plan, a possible school bond referendum and how to present multi-year needs to the public.

“If we had a capital improvement plan, a CIP, that, you know, 1 year, 3 year, 5 year…we could all sit down,” a committee member said, urging a forward-looking plan that shows when projects would start and finish. Staff responded that the district maintains a two-year look-ahead and a running “laundry list” of projects that is used to prioritize work by need.

Committee members referenced a running estimate of roughly $550 million to address all identified facility needs across the district; board and county participants described that number as a long-term, multi-year total rather than an immediate ask. One participant said the full list ‘‘is where the list is’’ but acknowledged it is unrealistic to fund at once.

County finance staff described current statutory and policy constraints on debt. An official said New Hanover’s policy uses a per-capita debt metric of $2,200 per resident, which places theoretical debt capacity in the roughly $530 million range; with $430–$440 million currently outstanding, county staff said the practical remaining capacity is about $100 million. The official added that, depending on principal repayment and timing, capacity could increase to about $130 million by next fiscal year.

Committee members and staff explored options to make a bond ask more palatable: spreading the district’s $18.9 million annual capital request over three years, staging issuance of bond proceeds over time, and adding public education explaining why encumbrances and multi-year project timing can make it appear that the district “has money sitting there.” One commissioner suggested breaking up a large request into smaller installments so voters are not surprised by a single headline number.

No formal vote was taken. Committee members directed staff to develop a prioritized list of projects with estimated start and completion dates and to return with a more detailed timeline so the committee can determine which items should go forward in any bond referendum.","Committee members discussed a multi-year capital plan (CIP), a district priority list estimated as roughly $550 million, and bond timing; county staff said current debt capacity is about $100 million and could rise to roughly $130 million next year, prompting discussion of staging projects and public messaging.",{"_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},6242987,"District officials say most encumbered capital funds tied to New Hanover High; closeout expected before school starts",524,482000,1006000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f&start=482&end=1006","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3243481-57211fafa46c7e009c00e5d312cd9d6f/thumbnail_482000.jpg","/articles/6242987/North-Carolina/District-officials-say-most-encumbered-capital-funds-tied-to-New-Hanover-High-closeout-expected-before-school-starts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6242987-fe239ea1651d723006554b696d4999ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771146928&Signature=EnMXGRA9XKss2UmjhoFsdkbNhCqGbw5cV7njkQbPNlPZ4kREKLZoBJ5C6l76AQAExNgB4EDC20RaOgy2vVPqGavATwP6Vj9vTZP9~07xN4kK49Jt0nrsXN22vNcouONTF-eUmGLqrOMyzk7sE2sKPsTFJjZXiRcjueBFoPRtoVgX~QAbjbQ2B2Z10XMQ47szg-x7G9c2FJ4YM~tYbys4v2xW4Bt~pBpLj9EYSSxbELIdm4lsE1qvsRufExdUwoi9H5mbVmpmyszpwB7Ytl4cK9PuPpCT8w5XAgp6Nf1HGTJ-Skz95g6-mEy2V-KZ~kdL-OXerNCA1QN-TzSRhAhe2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rob Morgan, assistant superintendent for operations and planning, told the New Hanover County Schools facilities committee on May 20 that the district currently has $9,563,000 in encumbered capital funds and “roughly 73% of that is encumbered to New Hanover High School.”

The figure reflects purchase orders and contracts in place, Morgan said, and “the project's going on there that we expect to be completed. As of right now, they are on schedule, mister Sutton. And, we're hoping to see them done, closed out, hopefully, by September 1.”

Committee members pressed staff to clarify the difference between a project’s completion date and the accounting closeout. One committee member asked whether the September date meant all bills would be paid before school starts; Morgan answered that the date he cited referred to closeout and that some invoices might still be unpaid even if the construction work is complete.

Ashley (staff) explained the typical lag: inspections and paperwork take time, and “if everything looks good, a month or 2 is the estimate I would use” for closeout and payment after substantial completion. Another staff member reiterated that completion listed on the project sheet is “the completion date of the project. That is not the closeout date of when we expect all the invoices to be paid.”

County commissioners participating in the meeting said the gap between money shown in district accounts and actual spending has created public confusion. Commissioner Apple referenced a separate figure—about $13 million in the account—and asked whether $9.5 million of that is spoken for; Morgan confirmed the larger number includes other encumbrances and projects beyond New Hanover High.

Committee members asked for follow-up breakdowns, including a view of encumbrances excluding the New Hanover High work so commissioners and the public can see how much of the capital balance is committed to other projects. Morgan said he could provide that figure in print.

Discussion also covered how work schedules and fiscal calendars interact: because much construction must occur during summer, projects commonly span two fiscal years, and invoices may be billed when work is done but paid afterward. One participant summarized the effect: projects ‘‘don’t marry up with the fiscal year very well at all, because most of the work has to occur over the summer.’’

The committee did not take formal action on reallocating funds or changing contract timelines at the meeting; staff were asked to produce clearer, itemized reports that separate currently encumbered funds tied to New Hanover High from other encumbrances and to show estimated completion and projected invoice-closeout windows for the public and commissioners.

The committee also agreed to arrange site visits to New Hanover High so members can see construction progress firsthand.","School staff told a joint committee that about $9.56 million in capital funds are encumbered, roughly 73% of which is for New Hanover High School work that is expected to be complete and closed out by early September; officials and commissioners discussed why money appears to be ‘sitting’ in accounts and the typical lag for invoice closeout.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District seeks two-year endowment to fund 42 school specialists, pilot program to collect data on staffing needs

Board and county officials debate long-range capital plan, bond timing and debt capacity

District officials say most encumbered capital funds tied to New Hanover High; closeout expected before school starts