New Hanover County Schools outlines allotment formula limits, proposes small cuts to per‑student supply budgets and asks county for 3% boost

New Hanover County Schools staff on the district’s allotment formulas told a joint school/county budget session that state funding rules leave significant gaps that the district currently fills with local dollars, and proposed trimming per‑student instructional supply allocations to help balance next year’s budget while asking the county for a 3% operating increase.

The district’s presenter, identified in the meeting as Ashley, said the state’s position and categorical allotments often undercount local costs: “The factor used in allocation is $46,272. That is what the state says the salary and benefits for a teacher assistant is,” Ashley said, illustrating how state dollar factors can fall short of the district’s actual pay rates.

Why it matters: Board members and school leaders warned the committee that state allotments leave the district short on positions such as counselors, media coordinators and instructional coaches, creating recurring local costs. The district plans to present a superintendent’s proposed budget to the school board on March 25 and will request county funding as part of that proposal on April 15.

Most important details - Proposed formula changes: District staff showed a draft for 2025–26 allotment proposals that would reduce the per‑student instructional supplies allocation from $65 to $60 and pre‑K instructional supplies from $130 to $120. Staff characterized those as the only current proposed formula changes and said the cuts are meant to avoid reducing staff. - Staffing…