Lenoir County Board of Education adopts 2025-26 budget, approves routine sales and school trips; grading scale change passes 4-3

The Lenoir County Board of Education on May 5 approved the district's 2025-26 planning budget and a package of routine items, and voted 4-3 to change elementary grading from a seven-point to a 10-point scale.

The board's meeting at Central Services included updates on the EB Brink Middle School construction bidding, the spring testing calendar, and a district application for career and technical education (CTE) funding to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Board members also approved surplus equipment sales (including about 681 MacBook Air laptops from a district technology refresh), updated fees and charges for the 2025-26 school year, and several student field trips.

Why it matters: the budget sets district priorities and funding levels for instruction, safety and operations for the 2025-26 school year; the grading-scale change aligns elementary grading with middle and high schools and generated extended debate among board members before passing on a 4-3 vote.

The board approved the district's planning budget for fiscal year 2025-26 after a presentation describing a budget built on estimated revenues, state allotments and local funding discussions with the county. Board leadership said the plan prioritizes instruction and school safety investments including building systems and air quality work. Budget amendment number 4, a housekeeping amendment to revise the working budget for activity through April 30, 2025, was presented and put to a vote and approved during the meeting.

In construction matters, the district reported that Metcon opened the majority of bid packages for the EB Brink Middle School project on April 24; eight packages initially lacked the required number of responses but were opened on May 1, leaving one turnkey sitework/prep package to be re-advertised after bids came in over budget. A new bid-opening for that package was scheduled for May 13 at 2 p.m. at Central Services; district staff said an audit of bids will occur after that opening and that notice-to-proceed letters are expected to go out in June.

On programs and assessments, the district recapped the end-of-year testing calendar: EOG reading for grades 3-8 on May 28; EOG math for grades 3-8 on May 29; EOG science for fifth and eighth grades on May 30; certain algebra/Math I assessments on May 29; English II and other end-of-course exams June 2 through June 6; and the last day of school on June 7. Dr. Amy Jones presented the district's local CTE application the board must submit to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to receive state and federal CTE funds (PRC 13, 14 and 17), saying successful applications would yield approximately $3,400,000 in program funding and positions; the board will be asked to approve the local plan at a subsequent meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Fiscal 2025-26 planning budget: motion to approve the 2025-26 planning budget as presented; mover: board member (motion recorded). Outcome: approved (vote recorded as "It is approved"). Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

- Budget Amendment No. 4 (revision to working budget through 04/30/2025): motion to approve. Outcome: approved. Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

- Surplus equipment sale (technology refresh): motion to accept proposed surplus equipment sale agreement (Exhibit A) for district surplus technology including approximately 681 MacBook Air laptops (mid-2020 models). Mover: Mr. Hill; second: Mr. Wiggins. Outcome: approved. Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

- Fees, fines and charges for 2025-26 (elementary, middle and high school fees): motion to approve. Outcome: approved. Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

- Elementary grading scale change (7-point to 10-point): motion to approve the grading-scale proposal as presented. Outcome: approved, 4-3. Vote tally: 4 in favor, 3 opposed.

- Field trips (three requests): motions to approve (FCCLA national conference, migrant education Close-Up trip to Washington, D.C., and Northeast Elementary Kings Dominion trip). Outcome: approved. Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

- Motion to enter closed session under North Carolina General Statute 143-318.11(a)(1) to discuss confidential personnel matters and to consult with the district's attorney: motion and second recorded; outcome: approved. Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

Discussion highlights and clarifications

- Construction bidding: district staff reported broad vendor interest at the April 24 bid opening and said almost all bid packages were opened that day; eight initially lacked sufficient responses but were opened May 1. The turnkey sitework/prep package came in over budget and will be rebid with clarified specifications; a May 13 public rebid and audit of responses were announced.

- CTE application: Dr. Amy Jones said the local CTE application must be submitted annually to NCDPI to receive state and federal funding; the current application cycle is year two of a two-year plan and the local plan will return to the board next month for approval. The presentation listed program codes PRC 13, 14 and 17 and estimated total program funding and positions at approximately $3.4 million.

- Testing calendar: district staff reviewed specific End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) dates for grades 3-12 and confirmed June 7 as the last day of school.

- Grading-scale debate: board members discussed the merits and risks of moving elementary grades to a 10-point scale that would match middle and high schools. Supporters said a continuous scale would ease transitions for students taking courses across grade bands and align with higher-education scales; opponents said a 10-point scale reduces the granularity that, in their view, helps hold students to higher standards. One board member noted that an A on the 7-point scale starts at 93 while on a 10-point scale it starts at 90. After an extended discussion, the board approved the proposal 4-3.

- Fees and fines: district staff described the proposed fees and charges as nonpunitive, covering items such as parking, lost books, athletic admissions and yearbooks, and said principals had reviewed the amounts. Board members asked about review processes and collection rates; staff replied collections are monitored and budget amendments can be made if revenues do not materialize.

- Field trips: the board approved three trips: (1) five students and two chaperones to the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., July 3-10 (departure from RDU); (2) 21 students in the migrant education program to the Close-Up Program in Washington, D.C., chaperoned by two adults; and (3) Northeast Elementary first- through fifth-graders to Kings Dominion for a one-day reward trip in June.

What the board directed next

- Staff will rebid and re-advertise the turnkey sitework/prep package for the EB Brink Middle School project and return with the results after the May 13 bid opening and subsequent audit.

- The CTE local plan will return for formal approval at the next board meeting after the board reviewed the submitted application.

Ending note: board members recognized National Teacher Appreciation Week and deferred several recognitions to the June meeting in the interest of time; the meeting concluded with a motion to enter closed session to discuss personnel matters under state statute.