Wake County school board to vote on $10M in budget cuts
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Wake County Board of Education is set to vote Tuesday night on a budget that includes more than $10 million in proposed cuts, as parents and educators press district leaders for clarity on how the reductions would affect students and staffers.
The proposal, introduced by Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor, is intended to close a budget shortfall. District officials say none of the cuts would come from special education after backlash from the community forced Taylor to abandon an initial plan that included eliminating 130 special education teaching positions.
Instead, the proposed reductions -- totaling more than $10 million -- could include scaling back extra support staff and pausing extra-duty pay for employees who serve as mentors or club advisers.
As the board moves toward a vote to finalize next year's budget, parents say they want more specific numbers and details to better understand the effect on schools.
"Right now it's been a lot of propositions without a lot of details," said Susan Book, a Wake County Schools parent.
Book said protecting students with the greatest needs should remain the district's top priority as board members look elsewhere for savings.
"Are you protecting our most vulnerable students? That should be your priority. And that's what I want to see out of this budget," she said.
The board began exploring other areas for cuts after widespread criticism followed the initial proposal to reduce special education services.
The Wake County chapter of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) said uncertainty around the plan has left teachers concerned about staffing and classroom support next school year.
"Regardless of where those $10 million in cuts are, I think staff are really anticipating what that impact will look like in schools and classrooms," said Christina Cole, president of Wake NCAE.
Those concerns come after educators met with state lawmakers Friday to urge greater investment in public education. Cole said many teachers left those meetings ready to push for additional action.
"Folks have been asking since Friday, like, what's next? What are we doing? Folks, I think, left Friday ready to, to take some action," she said.
Book was among thousands across North Carolina who took part in a rally and march on Friday outside the state legislature, calling for increased public education funding. She said the continued budget struggles feel unchanged over time.
"At the march in 2018, my son was in second grade, and now he's a high schooler, and we're still shouting and advocating for the same things that we were in 2018," Book said.
During a work session earlier Tuesday, board members discussed how difficult it is to decide on cuts without knowing how much funding the district will ultimately receive from the state.
Board members will vote on the budget and finalized cuts.
