Orange County school board approves federal funding application, discusses budget

The Orange County Schools Board of Education met on Aug. 5 to discuss an annual funding application and the budget for the 2025 fiscal year. 

What's new?

• The board recognized Arasi Adkins for her work serving as interim chief human resources officer over the summer. 
  • “She has done a wonderful job here with us and because of her leadership in that department we are a better organization,” Superintendent Danielle Jones said. 
  • According to a press release from Orange County Schools, Jeffrey S. Koweek will take over the role on Aug. 15. Since 2021, he's served as the senior executive director of employee relations at Durham Public Schools.
• Hillsborough Elementary School Principal Jessica Nagy gave an update on the start of the academic year, which began July 15. HES offers year-round schooling for Orange County students. 
  • Nagy said the school will use beginning of the year assessments to inform instructional choices.
• During the public comment period, Nina Morley Daye, a community member and former teacher at Orange High School, complimented the board’s leadership. She said the community needs to focus on unity, not division as the new school year begins.
  • “Orange County Schools needs to support each student in a safe, equitable, fully-funded space that focuses on seeing and knowing each person and family,” Daye said. “I believe that job is done best in an atmosphere of love, acceptance, and joy, instead of one of fear of the unknown and hatred.” 

What's changed? 

• Tonya Wagner, the OCS federal programs director, presented the OCS 2024-2025 Consolidated Federal Funding Application, a federal grant that could provide additional academic support and opportunities to students who need it. 
  • The grant includes funding provided under the Every Student Succeeds Act, Wagner said. 
    • The funding comes in four streams – Title I, which helps economically disadvantaged students, Title II, which supports teachers and leaders, Title III, which improves the academic achievement of English learners, and Title IV, which is flexible and provides funding for overall student support.
  • The proposed plan allocates $1.7 million to funding Title I, in addition to any budget surplus from the previous year. Of the four streams, Title I would receive the most funding. 
    • “Although the number of students from low income households has increased over the years, our funding has decreased,” Wagner said. “This is a trend and frustration seen and felt statewide.” 
    • Title I funding will be used on funding of the district’s pre-k program, a math website for parents to utilize as a communication resource and the continuation of the North Carolina Education Corps tutoring program, Wagner said. 
  • The board unanimously approved the proposed application. 
• Rhonda Rath, OCS chief finance officer, presented the fiscal year 2025 budget for discussion.
  • The budget’s priorities include recruiting and retaining high quality staff, student proficiency and growth, and allocating resources to meet the needs of students.
    • “We thoughtfully looked at every budget line item to reallocate or cut existing budgets to support those priorities funding was not received for,” she said.
    • Departmental budgets were reduced roughly $700,000 to reallocate funds in support of a new literacy curriculum, staff retention, academic supports, athletic supplements and more, Rath said. 
  • She said OCS did not receive funding for all the expansion initiatives the Board requested, including salary increases outside of those legislated by the state legislature and teacher local supplement increases.
  • The budget will be presented for final approval on Aug. 19.

What's next?

• The board will meet next on Aug. 19 at the Whitted Human Services Building in Hillsborough.

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