Educators voice concerns about proposed budget cuts in Wake County

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Dozens of Wake County educators and union members rallied Wednesday night, calling on the school board to fully fund next year's budget and reject proposed cuts they say would harm students and staff.

The meeting, held at the Southeast Raleigh YMCA, marked the final opportunity for public comment before the board is set to vote on the budget May 6.

Chants of "We are the union! The mighty, mighty union!" echoed through the meeting room as teachers filed in, pleading for board members to preserve key positions and services.

Educators warned that proposed changes, such as replacing permanent substitutes with daily subs, erodes stability for students. They also plan to not fill vacant nursing positions, eliminate a secretary position in high schools, and reorganize the assignments for counselors and social workers. They vowed to make this happen through attrition.

"You can call it repurposing, reducing or adjusting, but what your current proposal means for us is cuts," one school counselor said.

The proposed budget also drew criticism for initially excluding funding for dental coverage and HVAC repairs, although Vice Chair Tyler Swanson said both items have since been added back in following community feedback.

Part of the budget crunch comes from uncertainty about federal funding for public instruction.

"There's so much unknown at the federal level," Swanson said. "When 10% of our budget comes from federal funding, it creates a lot of uncertainty."

Swanson also emphasized the need for increased support from the North Carolina General Assembly, with educators echoing that concern, pointing to decades of underfunding from the state as a root cause of the budget challenges for districts across the state.

"I know that much of the stress is caused by the federal government and the North Carolina General Assembly," one teacher said to the board and superintendent. "However, your commitment to the families and students of Wake County must remain steadfast."

Some teachers said they're already taking second jobs to make ends meet and argued that the proposed raise for teachers is too small.

Many of the educators at Wednesday's meeting pushed for an increased ask of $60 million from the Wake County Commissioners, it's something Vice Chair Swanson said he does not support.

"I am not in favor of that. I cannot constantly put the burden on our taxpayers. A 60 million request would increase taxes," Swanson told ABC11. "We knew this budget cycle was going to be tough."

The Wake County Board of Education is expected to finalize and vote on the budget during its May 6 meeting. Meanwhile, both board members and union leaders are urging the community to contact state lawmakers to advocate for increased funding for public education.

One school counselor also raised concerns about how much funding the General Assembly is allocating toward private school vouchers, with the state Senate approving $500 million in funding last year.