[{"_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",5973350,"mediaKeyId","5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd","parentId",5844134,"title","Board hears warnings about January paychecks, fast turnaround for health‑plan admin proposal","audioSeconds",780,"startMs",1220000,"endMs",2000000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd&start=1220&end=2000","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd/thumbnail_1220000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973350/North-Carolina/Board-hears-warnings-about-January-paychecks-fast-turnaround-for-healthplan-admin-proposal","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973350-fb73f112a1c3e54626b449686b815325/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586964&Signature=WjHT4UqYiv68jP5HQw8U8AZaUr1DwFEPUEkn0yh-lcKSD3R-9n1vi2xBuJnM1MEYP97nkNohQ-F4j4Q6W-UsvO6XfeE42vK-xdfEQoNzhZG5nGoj~ASAfyzXEWFjn0cmgQo1ydfhQ7ODzPamT~rMlQkbUAGol4Tpq5b3hDCO-h6Y9o~~kNLOxhtB1GCmRXFm4SxlfohtpU6AQx5mISE0RW1v-0hphFgco2AYP6h0eruKUYHfjNLzpLkKmJhrQAXawgrKE5IjQxbURcLZUNhjsdZgQhPBW2byXh5PoJp865PMybmG-bidNo2VvZ1EK3DDpjZ-4CIQmoyHbmfyBSBQ2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cumberland County Schools","date","2025-09-26T03:40:37Z","article","District staff told the board’s finance committee that most employees will see higher health‑insurance deductions beginning in January and that, if the state does not authorize pay raises, net paychecks will be smaller.

A staff member explained the change is a state decision affecting all school districts and state employees: ‘‘If there’s no pay raises this year, then employees’ checks will go down,’’ the staff member said. Committee members were warned that the change could become a common source of questions and that central office would communicate with employees and stakeholders.

Health plan administrative services proposal: Separately, the committee discussed a 2026 health plan administrative services proposal that requires county action and a quick turnaround for submission to the county; staff said the document needs to reach the county by Oct. 3 and will require the county commissioners’ signature. Because the item had split committee votes on related approvals, staff asked the committee for a sense of consensus to submit the materials in advance of the full board’s formal ratification at the October meeting.

Payroll frequency change: Staff also explained a statutory payroll issue: state law requires that teachers be paid no more than every 30 days. To conform, the district will move certain payrolls to end‑of‑month timing (for example, November, December and January payroll timing adjustments were described) to avoid noncompliance; staff said the move may be unpopular with some employees who are used to an early December pay date but said the change was necessary to comply with state statute.

Next steps: Staff said they will continue communication efforts with employees about the insurance and payroll timing changes, and the committee agreed to provide a consensus for the health‑plan submission to the county ahead of a formal board vote in October.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","CCS Board of Education Meeting September 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District staff told the finance committee that state health insurance costs will rise in January and that, unless pay raises are secured, employee paychecks will shrink. The committee also discussed a health plan administrative services proposal that requires quick county sign‑off ahead of an Oct. 3 submission.","taxTitle","Cumberland County Schools, School Districts, North Carolina","taxId",14089,"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},5973354,"Cumberland Schools unveil tiered school success plan; board raises concerns about rollout and 'IE' intervention block",1320,3200000,4520000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd&start=3200&end=4520","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd/thumbnail_3200000.jpg","/articles/5973354/North-Carolina/Cumberland-Schools-unveil-tiered-school-success-plan-board-raises-concerns-about-rollout-and-IE-intervention-block","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973354-476edff975462c64514fdeaae9008521/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586964&Signature=lxhy9XvTrm1SJerNgHDet8W83zAUIksyjAbnw1JrCL~5kEgz5BR2TtewpwBwmvvINu24fwyKXrWoiKLarABTJvb5JMbrRiQ2ZcZRyawKMi6Xzj5UKQmFjz6u-j5uTQPBaxUDTfHcLVNZ8-t-jVM9ZD37TTB1q40h6MzMkYGYmzM9vB80dLEWjBL1It4szJUT1ryx4yFpxW8p4LKPi6uBH0eJAYz~c-U0KTBhf-vmtfe1ysaAoVdIeXQfNrbkv6WETFvT3rlS1fAP6fRqEe~Ff2VWe6~-FQ9az187VmZitgivbq0m4-hvDp219u-dZ-Dg7L2E2LqjHcJgTCdBRwDddg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cumberland County Schools’ new academic leadership presented a district‑wide school success plan intended to give targeted academic support to schools using a tiered model of foundational, strategic and intensive assistance.

Dr. Williams Leathers, the district’s new academic officer, said the plan aims to move “beyond a one‑size‑fits‑all model” by aligning central office teams with school instructional leadership teams so support is diagnostic, data‑driven and sustained. The plan embeds Cognia accreditation characteristics and uses Cognia’s Elliott walkthrough tool to ground observations in student‑centered look‑fors, Dr. Leathers said.

Core components: District staff described several structures to support schools: monthly vertical team instructional data talks grouped by attendance area; monthly instructional leadership team professional learning; a common data‑analysis protocol that emphasizes action planning and accountability; district Elliott walkthroughs; and a cross‑department district support team that can provide subject specialists, EC (exceptional children) support, data analysts, and other services tailored to a school’s tier.

Intervention and Enrichment (IE) block and concerns: Staff also described a daily 60‑minute Intervention and Enrichment (IE) block intended to protect core instruction while providing targeted intervention, English learner (EL), exceptional children (EC) and AIG services. The proposal asks schools to schedule a common block so students are not pulled from core lessons at random and so interventions can be targeted.

Several board members said the IE block and other features are not yet implemented consistently across schools. Board members raised operational concerns: principals and teachers reported uneven training, confusion over which staff should deliver interventions, and inconsistent materials or protocols used in the block. District staff acknowledged uneven rollout and described next steps including additional training for principals and coaches and a plan to share a “standard treatment protocol” and intervention resources.

Timeline and accountability: Staff said the vertical team data talks will begin in October (the first meeting noted for Oct. 2), with monthly follow‑up and school visits that could be weekly for intensive‑support schools. The district reiterated that school improvement plans are required by state statute and said the goal is to bring low‑performing school plans to the board in October and complete school improvement plan work by the statutory December deadline.

Board reaction: Board members commended the focus on alignment, but several urged the district to strengthen communication, provide clear protocols and ensure principals and teachers receive timely, practical training. One board member warned that multiple visitors and walkthroughs can disrupt student learning if not carefully coordinated. District leaders said they would provide the Elliott protocol and the standard treatment protocol to board members and principals and would monitor implementation and usage going forward.

Next steps: The district will roll out targeted professional learning and central‑office coaching, supply principals with a folder of data tools for monthly vertical meetings, and monitor school‑level implementation. School‑by‑school tweaks and principal feedback sessions are planned before the district intensifies weekly visits to tier‑3 schools.","District leaders presented a tiered instructional support plan that pairs schools with cross‑department district teams, monthly vertical data talks, Cognia’s Elliott walkthrough tool, and a daily intervention/enrichment block; board members praised the focus on alignment but raised implementation, training and consistency concerns.",{"_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},5973359,"Cumberland schools seek $250,000 Title I funding to expand translation and interpretation services",535,1335000,1870000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd&start=1335&end=1870","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd/thumbnail_1335000.jpg","/articles/5973359/North-Carolina/Cumberland-schools-seek-250000-Title-I-funding-to-expand-translation-and-interpretation-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973359-5790d50e48fdb6e0ce62a407db7a83ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586964&Signature=IVnn7m7Nj3tLLND4N2l~1jJBmAi46ameok7d94i7Nqwy7MgyyyX-qacsxTTuV8FT5HmRELAk~1foyHrWmh6TNLvFBNAurBf6sKWRAN8CcZS88T19KLb2bk7bfD8qepO3GlowBO-uvoLlLV3QvmrbBJ4KFmvgNl2UMpdwvJpKFhYbgjCYLLcCbebfOCdNjMU5yoIIYH1i4OlH062wx0xDS1waho0CU8wEpLnIbaxVz0To8mDjeN2-EEC4FBcephKfdpN5h6~sNZ8NNetkDEzk9TbVHX57i3r2nOC53PozUgJvSlNWqBsBGGQKikQOEkpXedZlNUfnm59O985KjeqXkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Cumberland County Schools staff asked the board’s finance committee to approve a $250,000 budget to expand an existing translation and interpretation services contract to make on‑demand interpretation available at every school and to provide per‑school codes for emergencies.

Dr. Whitley, a district staff member, said the district began using the vendor in 2023 after a request‑for‑qualifications process and that the service currently provides phone and in‑person support in many of the district’s most‑used languages. “All means all,” Dr. Whitley said when describing the goal of extending services to families who do not speak English.

What staff proposed: The district recommended using Title I funds in the 2025–26 budget year to expand from centralized language support to a structure that gives each school an allotted quota (a “dial‑out” code) for emergencies and provides an on‑demand interpreter option for scheduled meetings. Staff said the service can also be tied into school phone systems so callers can press options for English or other languages and be connected to an interpreter within about 60 seconds.

Usage and cost history: Staff reported the district has spent roughly $82,000 on the contract since 2023 and provided usage data showing higher demand in schools with larger multilingual populations. The $250,000 request would maintain current service levels and allow the district to provide each school with access codes, training for principals and a designee, and monthly usage monitoring to stay within budget.

Board discussion and vote: Committee members asked about uptake and how principals would be trained to use the system; staff said principals would each designate a staff member and receive a handbook and procedures. A motion to approve the proposed $250,000 allocation from Title I funds was made (moved by Miss Warner and seconded by Miss Musgrave). The committee proceeded to advance the item; a detailed vote tally is not recorded in the meeting transcript.","District staff recommended expanding an existing contract for translation and interpretation services to provide per‑school on‑demand interpretation codes, phone line language routing, and emergency dial‑out capacity; the finance committee heard presentations and moved to approve the request for the 2025–26 school year.",{"_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},5973364,"Cumberland committee narrowly backs applying for $60 million needs‑based grant for E.E. Smith High School",1040,90000,1130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd&start=90&end=1130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5844134-fb31d6a3a7d5cbcb663a174768c70dcd/thumbnail_90000.jpg","/articles/5973364/North-Carolina/Cumberland-committee-narrowly-backs-applying-for-60-million-needsbased-grant-for-EE-Smith-High-School","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973364-aff776b3f598d05b0588378eca0f578e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773586964&Signature=OZb1p5GoDa4qQ0O-Suqk67n95YFlcfv~5~chx6LV1wS25GTBb1z3fFalfG5IYQinXG~WDFVCr0r3GhuDQlDj4uKdEt23XvsZzy0v5-xLJyl~btsuCXk3ecr4qYVXWj6CbNDJuNhRKhIPyhDRbRMl2K4WSW8Cx4TYfy41Ura8YlSJthWZQHdxdY0G5-ssxvdeAinvaPMKO5tRNTDobJ3PMqKL8ycQ1SBEQ-J~W-LPeIZWBhcq4aGHKOhgqVoS63InzFuGJ3QJBCH673viarWT2XswGIZt4hxQM58sEsKkj6SDD6umsx8yPS9OBCahs~hFHoDRLbe4ub4BdyIDJiMgbA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cumberland County Board of Education’s budget and finance committee voted 3–1 to move forward with consideration of submitting a needs‑based public school capital fund application for E.E. Smith High School, with the grant application due Oct. 3.

The committee debated whether applying now would commit the district to a single project before the district’s comprehensive facility study is finished. Mr. Coleman, a district staff member, told the committee that the needs‑based public school capital fund is part of the state’s broader lottery distribution and that the grant requires applicants to designate a specific school and use for the money. “A comprehensive high school costs a 160,000,000,” Mr. Coleman said as part of the funding context the committee discussed.

Why it matters: If the district names E.E. Smith on the application and is awarded the grant, the award could effectively prioritize that site ahead of recommendations from the system‑wide facility study, which staff told the committee is not yet complete and is expected to report in December. Board members worried that a successful application might lock the district into a project that later proves inconsistent with system needs identified by the study.

Committee discussion and details: Staff outlined how lottery proceeds are divided statewide—roughly $1 billion in lottery revenue for public education, with about $400 million allocated to school construction statewide; separate pools include a $50 million repair/renovation fund and a $258 million needs‑based public school capital fund that requires applications. Committee members said Cumberland County’s share of recurring lottery money is roughly $4 million annually, with about $800,000 currently going to discrete projects and the remainder supporting debt service that will end next year.

Board members split over strategy. Supporters argued that “money in hand is better than no money” and that repeatedly passing on application opportunities risks leaving state funds on the table. Opponents said applying now could “get the cart before the horse” by committing the district to a particular project before the facility study finishes.

Vote and next steps: A motion by board member Miss Warner, seconded by Miss Musgrave, to consider approval of the 2025–26 needs‑based public school capital fund grant application for E.E. Smith passed on a split committee vote, 3–1, with Mr. West recorded as opposed. Staff told the committee the application deadline is Oct. 3; the committee’s vote was to move the draft application forward for consideration, not an award of funds. The district will continue the facility study work and said final project decisions and county funding decisions remain separate and are subject to later approvals.

Background and fiscal context: Committee members discussed county capital planning concurrently; staff said county leaders are deciding whether to issue general obligation bonds or other financing and that county planning figures discussed in the meeting included broad figures presented for multi‑year planning: roughly $300 million identified for deferred maintenance and $160 million for new school construction over seven years. The district reiterated that the grant, if awarded, must be used for the specific project named in the application.","A budget/finance committee voted 3–1 to move forward with consideration of a 2025–26 needs‑based public school capital fund application for E.E. Smith High School despite a pending facility study and concerns about locking district priorities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board hears warnings about January paychecks, fast turnaround for health‑plan admin proposal

Cumberland Schools unveil tiered school success plan; board raises concerns about rollout and 'IE' intervention block

Cumberland schools seek $250,000 Title I funding to expand translation and interpretation services

Cumberland committee narrowly backs applying for $60 million needs‑based grant for E.E. Smith High School