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) — forwarded as amended.

- Items tabled or held: policy 91 25 (minority-business participation / related procurement language) was tabled for one month to allow staff and counsel to gather additional information and legal analysis. Policies that included repeated contested language (references to “gender identity,” “sexual orientation,” or the word “biological” in relation to sex) were held or discussed separately to bring the full board and legal counsel into the conversation.

Notable discussion points

- The committee repeatedly referenced guidance from the North Carolina School Boards Association to prompt a systemic review. David Perry and staff explained that the association’s packet identifies policy areas districts should examine in light of new federal-level action.

- Several members asked staff to provide concrete examples or model language for policies before the full board acts. For example, the crowdfunding policy drew a request for sample language and precedents showing how to balance school fundraising and Title IX obligations.

- Multiple items prompted legal framing from board counsel about the limits of local policy and required state reporting (for example, outreach to minority-owned businesses). Committee members and counsel discussed the difference between encouraging local participation and creating an unlawful geographical preference in bid evaluations.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the committee meeting)

- Agenda approval — motion/second not specified; outcome: approved (voice vote recorded as 3–0). - Minutes approval — motion/second not specified; outcome: approved (3–0). - Policy 2302 — no change recommended; kept as written (no formal objection recorded). - Policy 3000 — committee discussion concluded with no change to the current policy language (vote recorded during discussion; transcript records “3 0” or mixed counts in sequence; committee ultimately left policy unchanged and forwarded as appropriate). - Policy 3100 (curriculum development) — motion made and seconded; forwarded as amended (recorded vote: passes; tally recorded in transcript as “3 2 to 1” for the amended version). - Policy 3130 (grouping for instruction) — motion to forward as amended; recorded outcome: passes (2–1 as recorded). - Policy 3200 (selection of instructional materials) — forwarded as amended (recorded outcome: passes 2–1). - Policy 4140 (foreign-exchange / cultural language) — no change; left as written (2–1 recorded when asked). - Policy 4150 (school assignment / magnet admissions language) — staff noted NCSBA suggestions; no changes were made in committee (no vote needed). - Policy 4303 (discipline/disproportionality language) — motion to forward as amended to the full board (motion seconded; forwarded as amended). - Policy 4310 (student responsibilities/behavior) — motion to forward as amended to full board (motion seconded; forwarded as amended). - Policy 5010 / 5110 / 5160 (procurement/purchasing notifications) — staff noted state-level references; most required wording is already in statute and no committee changes were required. - Policy 7130 (teacher assignment / remediation language) — forwarded as amended after staff and member discussion (vote recorded: passes 2–1 as amended). - Policy 7360 (crowdfunding / fundraising) — committee asked staff to gather examples of comparable language and to return next month; forwarded to the full board with a request for additional examples. - Policy 8220 (gifts and bequests) — forwarded as amended (voice vote recorded as in favor). - Policy 9120 (procurement / local outreach language) — an amendment from a committee member to encourage local outreach (without creating a geographical preference) was approved and added; a separate reference to minority-business participation was discussed and the explicit citation was removed in committee; the amended policy was forwarded to the full board. - Policy 9125 (related procurement references) — tabled for one month to gather counsel and finance input (motion carried; outcome: tabled). - Policy 1310 and 35 40 (family life curriculum and comprehensive health education) — staff recommended edits to reflect the board’s prior decisions about middle-school family-life curriculum and opt‑in parental permission procedures; both items were forwarded to the full board as amended for final action. - Policy 1720 (nondiscrimination / sex and related terms) — discussion continued; the committee held this policy in committee for further consultation and legal review (motion to hold passed 2–1). - Policy 4329 / 7311 and other policies that included “gender identity” or “biological sex” language — committee held or removed phrases in some sections and requested legal review before final board action. - Policy 5240 (advertising in schools), 6220 (school nutrition operations) and other operational policies containing nondiscrimination language were forwarded to the full board with edits suggested by staff and counsel.

What the committee asked staff to do

- Prepare sample language and examples for crowdfunding/fundraising policy to ensure compliance with Title IX and fair treatment of schools. - Provide a side-by-side of procurement outreach language and the state statute citations on minority-business reporting so the committee can reconcile board policy with statutory reporting requirements. - Bring to the full board the items that include contested nondiscrimination language (references to sexual orientation, gender identity, and any use of the word “biological”) along with counsel’s written legal analysis.

Quotes from the meeting

“I also I’ve asked Mister Perry to kinda keep an eye on time for us. Committee members, due to the high number of policies, we will be closely adhering to Robert's rules today,” David Perry said as the meeting began.

“I taught U.S. history for many years in civics…This is a democracy. I taught it for years to students and I stress the importance of our founding document, the Constitution,” Judy Justice said during debate on language changes, adding later, “I’m gonna vote against everything that’s brought up because I think it’s ridiculous,” as she objected to certain recommended edits.

“There are statutory requirements for outreach and reporting that you must follow even if the policy language changes,” board counsel observed while discussing procurement and minority-business participation requirements.

Ending

The committee’s votes will produce an amended packet for the full New Hanover County Schools Board of Education to consider at its next meeting. Staff and counsel were assigned to provide clarifying materials and examples on procurement outreach, crowdfunding/fundraising language and the nondiscrimination terms that generated the most debate.