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Craven County commissioners approve $92,885 to preserve CTE teacher amid state funding cut
Summary
Commissioners voted unanimously to provide $92,885 in local funds to replace a state-funded Career and Technical Education (CTE) position after the end of a COVID-era hold-harmless funding provision reduced school allocations tied to average daily membership (ADM).
Craven County commissioners voted unanimously Aug. 4 to provide $92,885 in county funds to preserve a Career and Technical Education teacher position after state funding tied to average daily membership dropped. The county manager told the board the COVID-era “hold harmless” policy that protected districts from ADM declines is no longer in effect, producing the loss of a CTE position in one high school.
County Manager (name not specified) told the board: “There’s been a long standing policy since the COVID pandemic where there were waivers and school districts were held harmless against ADM drops … That hold harmless provision is no longer in place.” The manager said the full cost to fund the position for 12 months — salary plus benefits — is about $92,885.
The board’s vote matters because CTE classrooms provide career pathways such as agriculture mechanics, small-engine repair, construction trades and health sciences that can lead directly to employment or community-college programs. Several commissioners described the program as a workforce pipeline that prepares students for jobs “that will last them a lifetime.”
Discussion: commissioners and the manager said the funding request came after conversations with the superintendent and that the position would be used to maintain CTE programming across the county’s high schools. Commissioners emphasized the local nature of the action; the county cannot direct the Board of Education how to deploy the funds after transfer but intended the money to hold the position harmless.
Formal action: A motion to fund the position was made and seconded; the roll-call vote was unanimous in favor. The county manager said schedule adjustments would be required if the position were not funded because staffing and class schedules depend on full-time allocations.
Background: During the pandemic the state allowed school districts to be “held harmless” for ADM declines so funding allocations would not immediately fall. According to the manager, that policy was not extended and ADM declines across recent years triggered reductions in state-funded positions. The county’s $92,885 figure includes salary and employer-paid benefits.
Next steps: The county will transfer the approved local appropriation to the Board of Education; the superintendent and school officials will determine how to assign the funded position within the county’s CTE programs.
