Asheville City Schools asks county for funds to avoid roughly $7 million in FY26 cuts

Asheville City Schools officials told the board on April 14 that the district faces an anticipated FY26 shortfall of roughly $6.7–7.0 million driven by lower enrollment, rising employee benefits and insurance costs, and new expenses such as universal school meals.

Superintendent and finance staff presented three draft budget scenarios. Option 1 would keep current staffing and programs intact but requires the district to ask Buncombe County for roughly $2.45 million in additional allocation (above current expectations) and assumes restoration of certain supplemental tax revenue. Option 2 combines targeted cuts — including eight central office FTEs and reductions to school schedules — and still uses $3.0 million of fund balance. Option 3 is the deepest reduction package: it would remove nine…