Superintendent: county restored nurse funding; district shifts Title I carryover to cover pre-K shortfall

Superintendent Christopher Barnes told the New Hanover County Board of Education the county commissioners restored the local funding line for school nurses to last year’s level after public discussion, and the district will work to rehire or reassign nursing staff as positions become available. Barnes and finance staff also described more detailed changes to the district budget tied to state and federal actions. Federal Title I allocations that were reduced at the federal level ultimately came in consistent with the district’s planning budget, the district said. However, state actions left the district with several reductions that required local adjustments: - A $975,000 reduction in pre-K state funding; the district used $715,000 of Title I carryover from last year plus $259,000 of new Title I carryover to maintain planned pre-K services. The district said principals and staff have been notified and central staff are adjusting allocations. - The state’s mini-budget included a certified-staff step increase; the district calculated the local cost for certified staff steps at roughly $149,000 and local supplements (hard-to-fill and regular supplements) at about $326,000. - The district lost roughly $2.3 million in Program 71 state funding that had helped pay local supplements. That loss is tied to county property values rising above the state threshold used to allocate that aid. - A $400,000 reduction in state at-risk funding, driven by changes in measured poverty among children ages 5–17. Taken together, those reductions produced a projected shortfall around $227,000. To cover the gap, the board and staff paused a planned safety initiative (including certain weapon-detection purchases and positions) worth about $517,000; after that hold the district reported an available balance of roughly $289,000 in the local salary pool originally set aside for raises. Board members asked for continued transparency about the use of Title I carryover and for next steps if further state action changes funding. The superintendent said any use of fund balance would come back to the board for specific appropriation and that the district would prefer solutions that do not rely on one-time money for ongoing obligations. On consensus items, the board approved the bulk package while pulling three items for separate votes; later it approved those pulled items (items B, K and L) unanimously. Barnes thanked the county commissioners for restoring nurse funding and said rehiring and recruitment would take time, noting that nurse staffing is challenging districtwide.