Alamance-Burlington school leaders say they are already sketching out cuts after Alamance County Manager Heidi York proposed about $58.7 million in county operating support for 2026-27, roughly $4 million less than the district asked for. School officials told trustees that the gap threatens staff supplements, routine maintenance and several planned capital projects, and could force cuts that take effect when the fiscal year begins July 1. Superintendent Dr. Aaron Fleming warned that the proposed allocation would cover the existing teacher supplement and the portion of county funding the district must share with charter schools, but little else.
Manager’s Recommendation And The Math
At a recent board meeting, ABSS officials walked trustees through York’s recommended numbers and the choices those figures force, as reported by The Alamance News. York’s allocation of $58.7 million for current expenses would still represent a roughly 2.7% increase over this year, but it falls about $4 million short of the $62.8 million the board requested and leaves routine maintenance and capital funding underfunded. Chief Finance Officer Tony Messer told the board the manager’s plan does not keep pace with inflationary mandatory costs such as employer retirement matching and utilities.
How Big Is The Gap?
Independent reporting frames the shortfall another way. ABSS officials say the district would need roughly $2.4 million more to break even, and under the manager’s plan the county’s share would fall several hundred thousand dollars short of that mark, according to BPR. The public radio piece also notes Alamance’s district ranks near the bottom of the state for total per pupil funding, reinforcing school leaders’ warnings that small cuts compound longstanding underinvestment.
Projects On The Chopping Block
ABSS officials listed specific items that could be delayed or eliminated if county funding remains at York’s level, including safety vestibules at about $850,000, design work for a new elementary school at $2 million, and $2.9 million to refresh teacher laptops, as well as athletic and repair projects estimated at $500,000 apiece, according to The Alamance News. Board members said those cuts would be painful for students and staff and would stall long planned facility improvements funded in part by the district’s 2018 bond package.
Sales Tax And Other Options
Faced with the shortfall, several board members urged commissioners to revisit a quarter cent local sales tax dedicated to schools, a measure voters have rejected in past cycles but which some say could close funding gaps, as reported by BPR. The district’s teachers union has also pushed the board to press commissioners for a referendum that would direct any new sales tax revenue specifically to local public schools.
Next Steps And Public Hearings…