Craven County Board of Education approves 2025–26 budget, keeps counselors, nurses and assistant principals funded

The Craven County Board of Education voted 5–2 on May 13 to approve the district’s 2025–26 budget as presented, adopting a spending plan that preserves most student‑support positions while relying in part on fund balance.

The vote followed several hours of presentation and debate over staffing levels, central‑office positions and contingency revenue. The board approved the budget with five members voting yes and two members voting no.

The adopted budget keeps funding in place for all guidance counselors, 23 nurses, four social workers and 35 assistant principals, according to staff presentations and board discussion. Staff also said an additional $250,000 in projected fines and forfeitures was added to next year’s revenue estimates, a change that reduces the budget’s reliance on fund balance.

Board discussion and staff presentation Stacy Lee, a district staff member who presented the budget, told the board the central‑office staffing roster shown in the presentation reflects positions across multiple funding sources and that the district counted 83 central‑office positions across budgets this year, with a net increase of 15 positions in the proposed budget. Lee also told the board that he had spoken with county staff and that “fines and forfeitures are trending up,” and…