Board approves policy corrections, 2025‑26 budget resolution and arts‑in‑education proclamation

The Chatham County Board of Education approved administrative policy corrections, a fiscal year 2025‑26 budget resolution and a resolution recognizing Arts & Education Week during its Sept. 8 meeting.

Policy corrections The board approved two technical corrections to district policy: updates to Policy 42‑30 (Communicable Diseases) to fix incorrect legal references and a correction to Policy 4202 to fix a heading typo related to service animals. The board considered the corrections as an action item and approved the changes by voice vote. The motion to approve the corrections was made and seconded; the board chair called the question and members responded “aye.” No roll‑call tally was recorded in the public minutes.

2025‑26 budget resolution Interim CFO Bridal Smith presented the 2025‑26 budget resolution and described the district’s current revenue mix: state funds at just over 50% of the budget, local funds around 38%, federal funding currently about 1.5% with additional federal allocations expected to be posted later. Capital Outlay was shown at about 1.9% and Child Nutrition about 4.7% of the total. Smith said some federal allocations (Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV and migrant funds) had not yet been approved and that roughly $2.8 million in federal budgets remained pending.

Smith also described spending controls the district has implemented for the year: a 25% holdback on non‑payroll nonessential spending in state and local budgets, reductions of 10 central office positions through attrition or reassignments, and changes to certain local commitments (for example, charging for student meals at non‑CEP schools for families that do not qualify for free or reduced price meals). “We’ve implemented some spending controls and put in a 25% holdback on all non‑payroll items,” Bridal Smith said. The budget resolution passed by voice vote after a motion and second.

Arts & Education Week resolution The board approved a resolution recognizing Arts & Education Week (Sept. 14) and noted district partnerships with the Chatham Arts Council and two AmeriCorps artist‑in‑residence positions added since 2023. The resolution highlighted district arts programming, artist residencies and stipends for arts teachers. The motion was adopted by voice vote.

Voting and process notes All three actions were approved by voice vote during the meeting; the minutes and the audio record show unanimous “aye” responses but do not provide a roll‑call count for each motion. No member recorded a dissenting vote on these items.

Ending These approvals were procedural actions that set corrected policy language and adopted the operating budget framework for the coming year. The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.