Buncombe County Schools officials updated the school board on Sept. 4 about a districtwide position allotment project designed to allocate staff through standardized, data-driven formulas.

The allotment project "is to create an allotment formula that guides staffing decisions in an objective data driven way," project lead Luke Rose told the board, adding that the effort will "bring greater transparency, equity, and efficiency across the district."

The district has moved through three phases since the board approved the project in March 2024: defining scope and process, building formulas with team leads for about 140 position groups, and preparing for full implementation in the 2026-27 school year. Rose said teams have revised formulas for major areas including instruction, career and technical education, school nutrition, federal programs, exceptional children’s services and transportation, and that remaining groups — finance, communications, student services, technology, maintenance and human resources — would be completed by November 2025.

"This new approach will also improve our annual budget building process," Rose said, describing tools that will let principals and directors see projected staffing in the spring and a standardized process for requesting additional positions.

CFO Tina Thorpe, who previously presented a custodian-allotment example to the board in March, said some position groups required deeper data work and review of legal or industry requirements while others only needed documentation of existing practice. Board members praised the work and the presentation; one board member said, "I think this is work that has been needed for a long time," and commended the transparency the project promises.

Rose said some formulas already informed 2025-26 staffing decisions where directors requested data-driven support. Full rollout in 2026-27 will include an allotment manual with documentation for each position group, an allotment spreadsheet for principals, and improved request processes.

Board members asked for the rationale behind specific formulas to be published; Rose said the manual and formulas "will be on our website" and available to staff, principals and directors.

The board did not take a formal vote on the allotment project at the Sept. 4 meeting; the presentation served as a progress update.