Orange County and two school districts present FY2026 continuation and expansion requests as federal cuts loom

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools presented their FY2026 continuation and expansion budget requests to the Orange County Board of Commissioners at a joint meeting April 29, outlining staffing needs, curriculum costs and the possible effects of federal funding reductions.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro superintendent Dr. Naya Hamlet and Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Scott outlined a continuation request that they estimated at just under $3.8 million before additional special-district tax revenue; after projecting a roughly 2% increase in that tax they said the net continuation need is about $3.25 million. The district’s expansion priorities — including a sustainable fund for instructional resources, reinstatement of master's-level pay for new teachers, increases to classified-staff supplements and restored positions such as teacher assistants and instructional-technology facilitators — together represent several million dollars more in potential requests if additional funds are available.

"This year's expansion budget includes increasing classified staff supplements, securing instructional resources for long term sustainability, and reinstating critical support positions," Dr. Hamlet said. Jonathan Scott emphasized the budget’s sensitivity to state action: "Because of that, we currently don't have any legislated increases or legislative benefit changes for…