Elizabeth City-Pasquotank board approves budget measures, raises procurement thresholds and clears IXL contract

The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools Board of Education on June 25 approved a package of budget and procurement measures, adopted a revision to policy 8350 and approved a three-year agreement to expand the IXL learning platform districtwide.

Assistant Superintendent Candy Tilly presented an end-of-year budget amendment resolution to allow Superintendent Dr. Parker to approve necessary amendments through June 30 and report back in July. The board approved the resolution. Tilly also asked the board to approve budget amendments across state, local, federal, capital, child nutrition and special revenue funds to shore up accounts as of June 30; the board approved those amendments.

Tilly said the district operates an approximately $80,000,000 annual budget and thanked finance staff and Meredith Collins for year-end work. She also reported insurance renewals for workers' compensation, cyber liability and employee dishonesty produced an approximate $134,000 decrease in premiums.

The board approved a micro-purchase threshold resolution to align federal purchasing rules with state procurement guidance by raising the federal micro-purchase threshold from $10,000 to $30,000, a change Tilly said would reduce redundant procurement steps for small purchases.

On unfinished business the board approved a revision to policy 8350 to raise the inventory threshold from $5,000 to $10,000; the revision was presented at first reading in May and approved in open session during the June meeting.

Following a staff presentation and Q&A about the IXL learning platform, the board approved a three-year agreement to expand IXL districtwide. Presenter Miss Edmondston described the platform as an integrated assessment-and-instruction tool that supports K-12 standards alignment, targeted interventions and real-time teacher dashboards. "Number one, we want to be good stewards of our proposed budgets," she told the board, explaining the district negotiated a reduced multi-year package that includes on-site and virtual professional development.

Board members asked how frequently students would use the platform; Edmondston said it can be used daily but is intended for targeted practice and intervention rather than occupying an entire class period. The board approved the IXL agreement by a show of hands.

Actions taken at the meeting were procedural and binding measures to carry the district into the 2026-27 fiscal year pending final budget adoption.