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Education officials warn of staffing gaps as ARPA-funded positions return to local budget
Summary
The commissioner and department officials told legislators about 79 employees moved from federal to local payroll, 17 funded vacancies in the FY26 budget and concerns over teacher certification and retirements; lawmakers pressed for recruitment plans and data.
Commissioner Deionne Wells Hedrington and departmental staff told the Legislature’s budget committee that moving positions off expired ARPA funds back onto the local budget poses staffing and fiscal challenges for the coming school year.
“We brought them over prior to the ARPA being taken away … some of the local employees were placed on the ARP budget,” Wells said, noting that 79 positions had been moved from federal to local payroll. She said those roles include critical positions such as teachers,…
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