[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",6052632,"mediaKeyId","3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2","parentId",3394821,"title","Board approves 2025–28 gifted plan after lengthy debate over LEAP, race-neutral identification","audioSeconds",3738,"startMs",5568000,"endMs",9306000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2&start=5568&end=9306","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2/thumbnail_5568000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6052632/North-Carolina/Board-approves-202528-gifted-plan-after-lengthy-debate-over-LEAP-race-neutral-identification","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052632-365df37fd6e629b99947c69c1ae7d524/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420694&Signature=KXCeKZB8Uyz4sejA7zGI8k7QczwSSRuhpkGCBYEGl-w0TPRrQ49eXYaSEMud~nrEfioGw37pbG7pOfW4GXAGbsn~kAX-GDNknhodXEuXP1F2fvhpPPJCDsXXhO1k3JmM-7D2ZKpIBkg1DCImXhvxFZJJocEX1dC3VsklotXCzlV7vuVM47PwN-X-eZETDuuMe2bucXaTBHpd39xNbpDVj5VE0TM86dmlMzy8dPw-zk8~VgPlQdPnFk9UlwXvGViKYsp5DHWoESrijlml~bgGHR9dtGk9OqsnmBDbuRGXYN0sYF46RgjoSPvYEEveFwAZ2HW0iRQmP9HBijY6xW3lRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Chapel Hill-Carrboro ","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the district’s Academically and Intellectually Gifted plan for 2025–2028 after a multi-hour presentation and extended board discussion about identification, program intent and equity.

The plan and debate: district staff described a three-year continuous improvement plan the district must submit to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI). Staff said the plan requires changes to comply with state guidance, including removing race and gender from certain identification pools and using race‑neutral processes. The presenter said the district will “make all identification race and gender neutral” and will end the LEAP deferment option, citing concern that deferments create gaps in students’ math trajectories.

Why it matters: Board members and community speakers debated how to identify gifted students in a way that reaches historically underidentified groups while complying with state guidance. LEAP — the district’s self-contained program for students with severe and profound advanced-learning needs — drew particular attention. Staff said LEAP will be returned to its original intent as a program for students who meet a technical aptitude cut point of 145 and that the district will explore MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) and qualitative indices to identify students earlier and more fairly.

What staff presented: Kate (staff member leading the review) described the 85‑page plan and said the Department of Public Instruction asks districts to revise identification processes. Staff listed planned changes: increased talent-identification training for school-based specialists, continued universal screening in third grade and rescreening in fifth grade, more direct identification in grades 6–12, and ending an option that had allowed students to defer LEAP placement for an extended period. Nick Winstead, the district’s lead gifted specialist, said universal screening and the “top 10% of each student group” referral pool had helped schools surface students who otherwise would not have been nominated.

Board discussion: board members pressed staff on bias and the trade-offs of qualitative versus quantitative measures. Several trustees said the district should keep pathways open for students not placed in LEAP, and staff reiterated that identification does not close access to advanced coursework. One board member asked whether the plan would be a permanent shift; staff said the plan is on a continuous-improvement cycle and can be adjusted over the next three years.

Formal action: the board voted to approve the academically/intellectually gifted plan for 2025–2028. The motion passed on a voice vote; the record shows the motion was moved and seconded and the chair called the ayes, and the clerk reported the motion passed unanimously. Staff said they will return with financial implications and implementation details during the first year of the plan’s cycle.

Ending: The board approved the plan so the district can submit it to NC DPI. Board members said they expect continued conversation about implementation details, training and how the district will monitor identification and services in the coming years.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education Work Session May 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the district’s Academically and Intellectually Gifted plan for 2025–2028 after staff outlined state-driven changes and board members debated identification methods and LEAP’s scope.","taxTitle","Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14084,"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},6052637,"Parents, students and staff urge board to address Carrboro High administration, request outside mediator",568,2741000,3309000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2&start=2741&end=3309","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2/thumbnail_2741000.jpg","/articles/6052637/North-Carolina/Parents-students-and-staff-urge-board-to-address-Carrboro-High-administration-request-outside-mediator","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052637-a5c82380abdb21a7f7561dc61a70fbd2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420694&Signature=WVq~pqmGhvD2qoUb9KYp4yPUn5HP9HKlxFGzHb1884G-EXR0uNW8tFBIXi6hC3aiNBiTAvPkt6URKikrd-MAQbcABw7xTdLZVcNsi8Nv84G09AD-D3cg-BBEQC7-nPcnN5pmFGHD6xuS7C7eWQ-Jpsh6Wa0x8pVdTFUW7deIK3RJoP6IPwkRdumPXZN6jaR3trRhzbTx8x6N36SKKbi4g~rA5xdt~Y130Vs9mzvNnHtpLZG3byesP~tL1cqA3gTsfeJnDAf1aLXtPvQQJESMvfCZq3CvWK0S0wjBdeHxoTCsNqdXk7PX0zb6O-M1ZzIfkX8boQa~pIxIBTpWQt2LyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Speakers at a Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education meeting urged the board to address a pattern of staff fear and alleged administrative failures at Carrboro High School, and asked the board to bring in an outside mediator so teachers and staff can raise concerns safely.

The speakers — parents, a recent alumnus, and current students and educators — described recurring problems with communication and supports at Carrboro High and said internal channels have not resolved them. Melinda Manning, who identified herself as “the cochair of the Carrboro High School Improvement Team,” told the board “They want to be heard.”

Why it matters: multiple speakers tied staff working conditions to student outcomes and said cuts to programs and staffing are already prompting some families to move schools. The board heard requests for specific remedies — an independent mediator, restored staffing for special-education supports and clearer communications — and public testimony framed the concerns as districtwide problems that require board attention.

Several speakers detailed the issues they said teachers and staff have raised. Dr. Marissa Cathard, who said she has a daughter in the district’s adapted curriculum program, listed program cuts and staffing shortfalls in special education and urged the board “to prioritize better support for our educators, restore essential student programs, improve communication infrastructure, and create accountabilities that families can trust.” She said programs such as swimming, bowling and community-based instruction have been cut and that special-education teachers are “under resourced and overwhelmed.”

Jonah Cadence, an educator and Carrboro High alumnus, brought a jar holding 71 pencils and told the board each “represents a teacher at Carrboro High that would like to be here advocating for their school but is afraid to because of a pattern of harassment, retaliation, and refusal to acknowledge even minor staff concerns raised through official channels.” He added that more than a dozen faculty had left the school in the past two years, which he said was affecting students.

Student testimony included Oak Avery, a junior at Carrboro High, who described incidents they said amounted to discrimination and inadequate administrative responses, and said, “The solution to discrimination is not to remove the person being discriminated against, but to prevent the discrimination from happening in the first place.” Avery told the board a recent AP-test location sheet listed the wrong name and said the vice principal had not adequately investigated other reported incidents.

Other public comments reflected the same themes: parents expressed fear and frustration that volunteers and teachers are being treated as adversaries, and requested board action to investigate and repair relationships. One parent, Austin, raised specific questions about funding for adaptive-classroom (AC) programs and asked whether classroom caps (he asked if the current cap is eight students) and services could be cut if district funding is reduced.

Board response and next steps: the speakers’ requests were recorded during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Board members did not adopt a policy or a motion during public comment; several board members asked clarifying questions later in the agenda and requested follow-up information. The speakers asked the board to consider bringing in an outside mediator and to report back to the community on staffing, program restorations and specific steps the district will take to protect staff who raise concerns.

The board did not reach a formal decision on the mediation request during the meeting. Several board members signaled they wanted more information and follow-up at future meetings, and the school district’s staff and leaders said they would return with details on staffing, program status and possible remedies.

Ending: The board’s consent and action items followed public comment. The testimony will be part of the record for future board discussion; speakers asked the board to respond with concrete timelines and actions to address the stated problems.","Multiple parents, students and district employees told the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education that Carrboro High School staff feel unsafe raising concerns and that special-education programs and classroom supports have been cut; speakers sought an outside mediator and clearer district action.",{"_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},6052617,"Exceptional children staff present preliminary review; board asks for financials, caseload detail and program outcomes",1668,12556000,14224000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2&start=12556&end=14224","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2/thumbnail_12556000.jpg","/articles/6052617/North-Carolina/Exceptional-children-staff-present-preliminary-review-board-asks-for-financials-caseload-detail-and-program-outcomes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052617-8fc21a60d2b265492b7a989166c20e6c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420694&Signature=K73nASwUsXqwZYDhXPFmxjv8tx4fwJiJADCg6xqqNwC2IAlCjT7inNz6kVQYqT1K0Tb3o7TzHiLOJ8m0qcgfHT9sjhxBea13knaDk7vU5WdA~HOE5hKJt1YFfOzQXGMzVOfp4Ks87gGCwB3px5VN4PEM2354ucWW1qYTKhRL1ZEkpD9d8M35aH8Mzp1b7xqgVvV3n3AfL0Erd8xI6LuY4M3lQUzlX3iGCWpPTVjskVqKopH-FFnWbNRyX1g-C7ZdMpDEuFBrnzdeGGVaRe~hclyiufJzj~TPMb1flj18d0DuBt0lsguAeGmay0i8auwJ~XFlaRT28BIZjx~gvAJnww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District special-education staff provided the board with a preliminary update on the Exceptional Children (EC) program, including results from a recent state comprehensive review, child-count trends and staffing status; the board asked for more detailed fiscal data, program outcomes and plans for recruitment and retention.

What staff presented: EC leaders said the district had voluntarily participated in a DPI comprehensive review and that the review produced corrective actions and commendations. Staff noted the district’s EC child count has increased while overall enrollment has declined and said the highest increases were in pre-K placements. They also reviewed staffing vacancies and caseload targets and said the hiring pool remains shallow for some specialized positions.

Why it matters: EC enrollment and staffing affect services under federal and state special-education law; trustees pressed staff for more granular information about caseloads, discipline and chronic absenteeism among students with disabilities, and for data on students who left the district and whether their needs drove exits.

Board questions and requests: trustees asked for a clearer breakdown of EC funding (state, local, federal and grants), an itemization of duties that moved or changed during the department reorganization, and data about office referrals and attendance among students with disabilities. Several board members asked for qualitative information: trends staff have observed, any innovative partnerships or program pilots, and whether the district is engaging local higher-education or community partners to expand services and staffing pipelines.

Staff response and next steps: EC staff said they will return with more detailed financials, updated recruitment metrics and a fuller presentation that addresses board questions. Staff described recent professional development (training on autism core features, FBAs/BIPs and standards-aligned IEPs) and said they plan to emphasize attendance and discipline data in future reporting.

Ending: The board set expectations for a fuller follow-up presentation at a future meeting (staff suggested June 5) and asked EC leaders to include staffing, resource needs, teacher-climate information and program outcomes in the next report.","District special-education leaders presented preliminary results from a state comprehensive review, staffing and child-count data and asked the board for direction on next steps; trustees requested more detailed budget, staffing and discipline/attendance analyses and discussed community engagement.",{"_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},6052622,"District updates board on high-school block schedule pilot, cross-enrollment and next steps",1867,9715000,11582000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2&start=9715&end=11582","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2/thumbnail_9715000.jpg","/articles/6052622/North-Carolina/District-updates-board-on-high-school-block-schedule-pilot-cross-enrollment-and-next-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052622-3777c465eba67ae25048b6f1763f5504/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420694&Signature=isxbBjOPcL~A0xbMLNVZukcxphb5zKCjT5nRLlb8hT6Gx3qv6toNRGCRoBPQllJXACko5twSzpE2EDF~9CIzGISMsq-pUhZfPpp2cNC50uPxeJ0U~ie5P54EqhHpNH1rMY7MVV1-kc5urrcc0djIyKO80dB5hZOPdSMAB0-mqus4mYts6-LvQSOgRysXNlI-Uz0ssw9mKhx6irdl3gsB9BBKkrN-l3IYoR~yYJwJmW9gc6obb4oZTd8mFz33tJVyU68Pe~cAiSW1MU27AqekUS6bgDXV~sMtl4X80aJXBqFwd9YW90pHoCRy6F3gf92xfeemjWsc51nvAWzEhhA5lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District leaders and high-school principals updated the board on preparations for shifting to an 80‑minute block schedule and cross‑enrollment options for the coming school year, summarizing pilot experiences and plans for staff training, transportation and schedule finalization.

The update: Dr. Bales and several principals reported on recent professional development, teacher site visits to schools that have operated block schedules, and pilot days that tested teaching to longer class periods. Principals from East Chapel Hill, Phoenix Academy and Carrboro High described “glows and grows” — instructional benefits from longer periods and concerns about disengagement, student fatigue and the logistics of cross-school enrollment.

Why it matters: District-wide schedule changes affect course access, AP preparation windows, staffing and transportation for students who cross-enroll at other high schools or partner institutions. Staff said the district will continue to refine flex periods, provide professional learning for teachers and create evaluation and feedback loops to adjust implementation.

What pilots showed: Mr. Casey, who led a pilot at East Chapel Hill High School, said longer periods allowed teachers to deliver whole lessons and run labs that would not fit into shorter periods, and that students reported reduced stress and fewer transitions. He also reported concerns — teacher adjustments to new lesson designs, possible disengagement during long lectures and the need for movement or breaks. Phoenix Academy leaders said block scheduling created better opportunities for individualized instruction, project work and access to courses across the district that previously were unavailable to small-site students.

AP testing, cross-enrollment and transportation: Board members asked how AP review and test windows would be handled. Staff described strategies such as dedicated review sessions during flex time near test dates and said calendar adjustments could help; they also said they would work to ensure multiple AP review windows. Transportation for cross-enrollment was identified as an open issue: staff are exploring altered bus routes, partner arrangements and using remote instruction in some cases while they develop sustainable transportation plans.

Implementation timeline and supports: Counselors completed course selections and schools have begun master-schedule builds; staff are preparing to transition student records into the district’s new student information system over the summer. Teachers will receive just-in-time professional development and principals said district staff will monitor the first weeks of the academic year and gather feedback from students and staff to refine flex and block plans.

Ending: Principals and students involved in pilots gave generally positive reports; the board asked staff to present a formal evaluation plan and to return with metrics about student and teacher experience, AP outcomes and transportation strategies during fall implementation.","District staff and high-school leaders reported on multi-school pilots of an 80-minute block schedule, noting instructional benefits and concerns about student fatigue, attendance, AP testing and transportation for cross-enrollment; principals described positive student response and plans for summer and fall implementation.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6052627,"Board approves Compass Group food-service contracts; district to add summer reading activity and raise paid meal prices",420,9275000,9695000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2&start=9275&end=9695","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3394821-2ad74ba653078014d21f746595bf66f2/thumbnail_9275000.jpg","/articles/6052627/North-Carolina/Board-approves-Compass-Group-food-service-contracts-district-to-add-summer-reading-activity-and-raise-paid-meal-prices","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052627-d513dc83865012a9c9339acec65199f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770420694&Signature=T-xNcIdd5KSWwwjZyrFusxUur9b7rVlQi5-O14gaZ98ryVIm~EYtPrc7DPT5y5Fgb7~Fl9e6QwUb2eoAg15UzaKF5FKhe7C-2~mN3y6qYaaKi9zYLkpYDDV~MALh2CzAvQgsCTJPSSNM-yIwoYyPpASI78LYIGUrcepadGgZ6Rs-EG1sDkB9g2n2qoe5taSslNI8mDKnwt9~Vjm0vawpyWAR1izbSMZY7UJg6Kq1K2oCzzN8PTn0y9nfZOXE7s9aVYzyasME53ZO6KiywYeAK3tjU2IY0DZd141vQWynSEBYxw5VYPtBREtri0dxP5bzyT7LrFa5ADOP9cKNcV417g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education approved two food-service contracts with Compass Group (the parent company of Chartwells): a summer 2025 feeding contract and the final extension of the existing school-year food-service contract for 2025–26.

What was approved: Dr. Stewart presented the contracts and said the summer contract is largely unchanged from last year but adds a required activity tied to the feeding program — this year the district will partner with the Public School Foundation to provide daily reading activities at five summer sites: Craig O'Mane, Oakwood, Airport Gardens, Colony Woods West and South Estes. The second contract is the final option year of the Chartwells/Compass Group management contract first approved in 2021.

Why it matters: Dr. Stewart told the board that the district is not eligible for broad Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) status because the district’s free-and-reduced-price meal rate is roughly 30%, below the 60% threshold many districts need for universal CEP coverage. As a result, the district will have to adjust paid meal prices in 2025–26; Dr. Stewart reported planned increases of 15 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch for paying students. He said the increases will not affect students who receive free or reduced-price meals.

Board action: The board chair asked for a motion, a motion and second were recorded and the chair called the ayes; the motion passed unanimously.

Implementation notes: Dr. Stewart said the district will run an RFP process this fall to select a future food-service contractor after this final extension. He also said two district positions that remained staffed earlier in the contract reverted to contractor staffing after retirements this school year.

Ending: Board members asked clarifying questions about the summer sites and noted the need to communicate price changes to families. The contracts took effect after the board’s unanimous approval.","The board approved two food-service contracts with Compass Group (Chartwells), including summer feeding at five sites with a reading activity and a final contract extension for the 2025–26 school year that includes increases to paid meal prices.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves 2025–28 gifted plan after lengthy debate over LEAP, race-neutral identification

Parents, students and staff urge board to address Carrboro High administration, request outside mediator

Exceptional children staff present preliminary review; board asks for financials, caseload detail and program outcomes

District updates board on high-school block schedule pilot, cross-enrollment and next steps

Board approves Compass Group food-service contracts; district to add summer reading activity and raise paid meal prices