Randolph County Schools board hears parents’ safety complaints as leaders outline potential staff cuts

The Randolph County Schools board heard emotional public comments about student safety and a detailed presentation about funding uncertainty that administrators said could force roughly 32 position reductions to balance the FY26 budget.

Vicki Dwit, executive secretary for Randolph County Schools, told the board she was speaking “to express my concerns regarding recent developments” and defended Superintendent Dr. Dilly against what she described as sustained public ridicule and personal attacks, urging commenters to direct policy concerns to the board rather than administrators.

A parent, Ralph Gray, described repeated incidents in his son’s kindergarten classroom at Georgo Elementary School and said his 5-year-old “doesn't want to go to school,” adding that an incident report had been filed after an episode on Feb. 27. Gray asked what steps the district is taking to ensure students’ safety.

The board moved through routine consent items, including field placement approvals and minutes, and voted to table a revised school calendar amendment. Later the board approved Personnel items after hearing the funding presentation.

Rachel Zer led a multi-part explanation of how state funding is calculated—beginning with the second-month net-enrollment report—and how the district’s allotment is adjusted after the state deducts the local share. She said those formulas and the district’s “sparse” designation provide only limited relief.

“Personnel season for those that aren't familiar with it is our one time of year that we're legally allowed to make changes in our personnel,” Zer said, explaining the district must act now because uncertainty about grant renewals could leave it without authority to remove or reassign positions after Personnel Season ends.

Zer laid out four funding "sources" the district uses, and highlighted that some roles—special education teachers, behavior specialists and other positions tied to Individualized Education Programs—are federally mandated and cannot legally be cut even if grant dollars disappear. She said the district is reviewing about 32 positions to balance the FY26 budget, and that some central-office roles are also under review.

Officials repeatedly emphasized that some potential reductions would be driven by a lack of confirmed federal or state grant awards. Zer said she had been advised state officials were reluctant to commit funding in writing until the legislative session concluded, and that the district could not rely on verbal assurances.

Superintendent Dr. Dilly, in his report, said he is watching several bills under consideration at the state level, including House Bill 2515 and companion Senate Bill 199, and warned those measures could create unfunded mandates or raise legal concerns related to Section 504 and IDEA. He noted the district lacks sufficient funding to absorb additional service needs if those bills are enacted without accompanying resources.

Board members asked questions about temporary facility repairs (an insurance claim was filed and contractors were onsite for estimates), required restraint-free trauma-informed training for staff, and a community leadership program the district is piloting this summer. The superintendent also noted an unusually high staff absence rate (118 absences, about 24%) during a recent staff development day.

The board scheduled upcoming meetings, including a levy meeting March 18 and the regular meeting that same evening. No formal action was taken to finalize the 32-position plan; administrators said they would await further grant confirmations and report back to the board.

Next steps: administrators will continue to pursue written confirmations of grant funding and return to the board with specifics before finalizing Personnel Season reductions.