Avery County schools seek local funding as federal ESSER dollars wind down

Dr. Dan Brigman, Avery County Schools superintendent, told the Avery County Board of Commissioners at a May 2 budget workshop that the district is preparing for the end of federal ESSER pandemic funds and is asking commissioners for additional local support.

"We were blessed and cursed with something called the ESSER funds," Brigman said, and later framed the request: "I am proud to sit here as your superintendent asking you for 2 million dollars." Finance officer Faith Cope outlined cost drivers for the 2024–25 budget, including a 7% rise in health insurance, a 2.19% increase in the retirement rate, proposed step increases of 7% for certified staff and 4% for noncertified staff, and additional pay for bus drivers. Cope said the county request totals $859,088, bringing the commissioners' request to $6.2 million.

Commissioners and district leaders spent much of the workshop discussing how ESSER dollars were used and the implications as those funds phase out. Vice‑Chair Dennis Aldridge raised concerns about 'supplanting' and said the county has identified roughly 28 positions funded by ESSER dollars (about $1.1 million) that will need long‑term funding when federal support ends. Aldridge asked whether positions paid with ESSER would be eliminated when the funds end; Brigman and other staff said the district has tried to manage staffing through attrition to avoid layoffs and to move positions among federal, state and local funding where the rules allow.

"We moved those positions to our ESSER funds to keep from coming back and asking you to fund these positions," Brigman said, adding that the district used fund balance and attrition to offset costs and reported about $750,000 in position reductions through attrition. Brigman and John Greene, who is identified in the record as a board official, emphasized those decisions were intended to preserve services for students.

Commissioners pressed staff on enrollment trends and program costs. Cope said the state allotment for the coming year is based on 1,763 students — a projected loss of about 55–60 pupils — and reported 60 Avery County students attending charter schools. Dr. Howell and other staff described an unusually high share of students classified for special education services (about 20%), and an increase in non‑English speaking students that prompted bilingual hiring.

Commissioners also questioned capital and maintenance line items. Cope said the capital outlay list was developed with principals and maintenance staff; commissioners asked for a prioritized list to distinguish urgent projects from standard, recurring maintenance. Cope noted that some capital entries (camera maintenance, fire extinguishers) reflect state budget coding rather than managerial intent.

The board set a separate meeting for May 14 to answer questions raised on social media and said a formal public hearing on the budget will take place June 3 at 6:30 p.m. No formal decisions on county funding were made at the workshop.

The workshop continued with a sheriff’s office presentation and adjourned at 9:12 p.m.