Wake County Board adopts 2025 state legislative priorities; adds teacher-licensure, voucher and school-meal language

The Wake County Board of Education voted Feb. 4 to adopt its 2025 state legislative priorities, adding amendments that direct the North Carolina General Assembly to reduce barriers to teacher licensure, prioritize public-school funding over private school vouchers, seek additional state support for school nutrition, and expand restart-style operational flexibility for public schools.

The action came after a work-session review and a lengthy public-comment period. After debate and a series of motions and amendments, the board approved the final, amended document in a unanimous vote. Board members said the priorities are intended to guide the district’s advocacy during the 2025 legislative session in Raleigh.

Why it matters: Board members said state-level funding and policy decisions directly affect the district’s capacity to hire and retain teachers, keep students fed and safe, and run programs such as magnet and special-education services. Several amendments adopted by the board address immediate operational pressures the district faces: teacher shortages and licensing barriers, a rapid increase in state-funded private-school vouchers, rising school meal costs, and the need for more local flexibility to support struggling schools.

Key amendments and outcomes - Reducing barriers to teacher licensure: The board added language urging the General Assembly and DPI to accept out-of-state licensure tests, eliminate costly additional testing (including the edTPA requirement), and reduce state licensure fees for candidates who completed approved educator preparation programs. Motion: introduced by Mr. Hershey; seconded by Ms. Mahaffey. Outcome: adopted.

- Statement on private-school vouchers: The board added a sentence asking the General Assembly to prioritize public-school dollars to fully fund public schools “not private school vouchers.” Motion: introduced by Ms. Edmonds; seconded by Ms. Rice. Outcome: adopted by roll-call vote, 5–4.

- School nutrition funding: The board inserted language asking that North Carolina provide adequate funding to improve school nutrition for K–12 students and asked staff to provide a state-level cost estimate (staff had earlier discussed a $140 million figure to close the remaining gap for K–5 universal meals). Motion: introduced by Ms. Caulfield; seconded by Vice Chair Swanson. Outcome: adopted.

- Expand restart-style flexibility: The board added an item urging the General Assembly to expand restart-school flexibility to more — or to all — public schools so local leaders can target resources and operational changes where they are most needed. Motion: introduced by Ms. Caulfield (as amended); seconded. Outcome: adopted.

Final adoption: After the amendments were adopted, the board voted to adopt the complete 2025 state legislative priorities as amended. Chair Haggerty called for a final vote and the agenda was adopted by unanimous voice vote.

Board discussion and next steps: Members pressed for specific follow-ups. The board directed staff to: - Verify and report back to members on the exact statewide appropriation referenced during debate (board members cited figures in the $594 million–$616 million range for voucher-related appropriations and asked staff to confirm the correct number). - Provide a short cost estimate and implementation note that the board can include in advocacy materials for the nutrition ask (the $140 million figure discussed at the meeting was presented as an estimate to close the K–5 gap and staff agreed to verify and document assumptions). - Incorporate the adopted teacher-licensure language into the lobby packet and share a clean, formatted version of the final priorities with board members and legislative contacts.

Votes and formal actions - Motion to adopt the consent agenda: moved by Vice Chair Swanson; seconded by Ms. Mahaffey; voice vote, approved. - Motion to adopt the 2025 WCPSS state legislative priorities (as amended): moved by Vice Chair Swanson; seconded by Ms. Mahaffey; final adoption: unanimous voice vote. - Amendment — reduce barriers to teacher licensure: mover Mr. Hershey; second Ms. Mahaffey; outcome: adopted. - Amendment — prioritize public-school dollars, not private vouchers: mover Ms. Edmonds; second Ms. Rice; roll-call outcome: adopted 5–4 (yes: Gordon, Hershey, Edmonds, Haggerty (chair), Rice; no: Ng, Swanson, Caulfield, Mahaffey). - Amendment — adequate funding for improved nutrition (K–12): mover Ms. Caulfield; second Vice Chair Swanson; outcome: adopted. - Amendment — expand restart-school flexibility to more/all public schools: mover Ms. Caulfield (as amended); seconded; outcome: adopted.

What the board did not decide: The board did not change existing district policy in the meeting; it adopted advocacy language and directed staff follow-ups. Members emphasized they will continue to refine advocacy materials and will return to federal priorities at a later work session. The board also asked staff to prepare factual background and cost estimates for public distribution to help legislators understand the requests.

Ending: The board concluded the action item with instructions for staff and moved on to other business, then voted to enter closed session for agenda-listed reasons.