Berkeley County Schools board approves superintendent’s Phase 2 personnel reorganization with targeted exceptions

The Berkeley County Schools Board of Education on April 30 approved the superintendent’s Phase 2 personnel reorganization that places dozens of professional and service employees on transfer or preferred-recall lists and terminates certain contracts at the end of the 2024–25 school year.

The superintendent presented the plan in nine sections and asked the board to vote section-by-section to allow time for discussion and to pull individual names for separate motions. The board approved most sections but removed two names from the first list for individual consideration before voting to terminate those employees’ contracts and consider them for transfer.

Why it matters: The reorganization affects school staffing and central-office positions for 2025–26 and will shape which positions are eliminated, which employees are reassigned, and who will be placed on the district’s preferred-recall lists. Some items are contingent on future budget approvals and grant funding, the superintendent said.

Key details and board actions - Section 1: The superintendent originally presented 36 professional personnel to be terminated on June 30, 2025, and considered for transfer and reassignment for 2025–26. Two employees (Tyler Boswell and Robert Rucas) were pulled from the mass vote; the board then approved the remainder of the section. - Individual motions were then made to accept the superintendent’s recommendation regarding Tyler Boswell and Robert Rucas. The motions passed; the superintendent recommended both be terminated at the end of the 2024–25 school year and considered for transfer and subsequent reassignment for 2025–26. - Section 2: One service-contract employee was approved for termination at the end of 2024–25 and for placement on the preferred-recall list. - Section 3: The superintendent proposed 15 professional employees to be terminated and placed on the preferred-recall list; she recommended pulling Lewis Barton’s name, leaving 14 staff approved by the board for consideration. - Section 4: Two service employees were approved for termination at the end of 2024–25 and placement on the preferred-recall list. - Section 5: One professional employee’s contract days were to be terminated at the end of 2025–26 and considered for a 210-day contract in a different role; the board approved the recommendation. - Section 6: The superintendent proposed the elimination of central-office positions effective 2025–26. During discussion the superintendent clarified that the number should be 11 (not 12) because one position was pulled; the board approved the eliminations as amended. - Section 7: Five service personnel were approved for location transfer for the 2025–26 year with the same contract days and responsibilities. - Section 8 (superintendent’s implementation): 61 professional staff members were considered for transfer with subsequent reassignment; the board approved the recommendation. - Section 9: 89 service employees were considered for transfer and reassignment for 2025–26; the board approved the recommendation.

Discussion vs. formal action: Board members paused after each section for questions and to allow names to be pulled for separate votes. The board repeatedly voted motions to approve each section (or individual names) and recorded standard roll-call-style “all in favor? Aye” exchanges; the transcript records motions and seconds on each section and that the motions carried. The board’s approvals place affected employees either on recall lists or make them eligible for transfer/reassignment; no new policy changes were adopted at this meeting.

Clarifying details provided in the meeting - Counts: Section 1 originally listed 36 professional personnel; Section 3 originally listed 15 professional personnel but reduced to 14 after pulling one name; Section 6 was clarified from 12 to 11 central-office positions to be eliminated; Section 9 included 89 service employees considered for transfer. - Timing: Many of the contract terminations were described as effective at the end of the 2024–25 school year, with transfers/reassignments anticipated for 2025–26. - Contingencies: At least one group of positions (community schools site managers discussed elsewhere during the meeting) depends on state grant funding and board budget approval; the superintendent said the district is seeking expansion grants and including some positions in the proposed budget.

What’s next: Individual employees affected by the reorganization will be processed through the district’s transfer/recall and personnel procedures. The board did not adopt new personnel rules at the meeting; it approved the superintendent’s recommendations section by section.