Policy committee reviews 25+ policies; most items forwarded to full New Hanover County Schools board

The New Hanover County Schools (NHCS) policy committee met March 11, 2025, and reviewed more than 25 district policies recommended for review by the North Carolina School Boards Association. Committee members discussed edits proposed to align local policy language with recent federal guidance and state law and voted to forward most items to the full Board of Education for final action.

The meeting opened with roll call and routine approvals. The committee approved the meeting agenda and minutes by voice votes recorded as 3–0 in favor. Committee vice-chair David Perry led the discussion through dozens of policy sections; the committee followed a strict time limit for each item.

Why it matters: the committee’s recommendations will shape the versions of district policy the full board considers. Several debated edits touched on civil-rights language and procurement outreach; the committee’s votes either preserve current language, adopt modest edits, or send items for more research.

Key outcomes and next steps

- Dozens of policies were reviewed. The committee voted to send most amended policies to the full board for final consideration rather than adopting final policy at the committee level. Several policies were explicitly held or tabled for additional legal review or examples to be prepared by staff.

- Policies sent to the full board (examples recorded in the meeting): 3,100 (curriculum development) — forwarded as amended; 3,200 (selection of instructional materials) — forwarded as amended; 31 30 (grouping for instruction) — forwarded as amended; 43 03 (discipline/disproportionality language) — forwarded as amended; 43 10 (student conduct/discipline) — forwarded as amended; 71 30 (teacher assignment language) — forwarded as amended; 73 60 (crowdfunding) — forwarded to full board after the committee asked staff to gather examples; 82 20 (gifts and bequests) — forwarded as amended; 91 20 (procurement/bidding language) — forwarded in amended form with one contested reference to a minority-business participation citation left out; 13 10 (curriculum, including family life) — forwarded as amended; 35 40 (comprehensive health education) — forwarded as amended; 44 40 (graduation/attendance-related changes driven by state policy)…