Craven County board orders budget rewrite to restore nurses, social workers and freezes new vendor contracts

The Craven County Board of Education voted at its regular meeting to freeze new vendor contracts paid from local funds and directed staff to revise the proposed 2025–26 local expense budget so it can cover four school social workers and a nurse in every school by reallocating other local positions and contracts.

The motions came during an extended budget review and a public hearing that drew parents, teachers and advocates who urged the board to preserve or restore school nurses and social workers. Vice Chair Patty Mason made the request that staff revise the budget to “ensure that we can pay 4 social workers, a nurse in every school, and that we, adjust appropriately other staffing among elementary guidance counselors to pay for that.” The motion passed 5–2; board members Darlene Gibbs and Patty Mason voted no, and Jennifer Dacey, Amy Davis, Lee Kirkman, Lauren Kitzinger and Lori Spies voted yes.

Why it matters: Board members and dozens of public commenters said school-based nursing and social-work services are critical to student safety, chronic health needs and mental-health supports. Several speakers described medical and behavioral incidents handled…