Edenton-Chowan Schools ask commissioners to bridge $448,000 state funding drop, request up to $6.32M in current expense funding

Superintendent Tammi Ward and School Finance Officer Sandy Pittman presented the Edenton-Chowan Schools FY2025-26 request at the Chowan County Board of Commissioners' May 12 work session, saying a decrease in average daily membership (ADM) of 67 students and a new Tier II county designation will reduce state funding by roughly $448,000.

Ward told the commissioners the state has a mandated 3% salary and benefit increase for the coming year and that pending legislation and federal funding uncertainty factor into the district's planning. To respond, the district presented three tiers of current expense requests: tier one (highest priority) totals $5,532,596 and includes the mandated 3% salary increase, a 1% retirement match and $500 annual health insurance; tier two is $5,794,596 and adds positions such as an elementary assistant principal and a high school media coordinator; tier three totals $6,319,596 and would fund additional curriculum and supplement increases plus a technology device refresh.

The district also requested $760,907 in Capital Outlay for FY2025-26, which includes carryover projects from prior years and proposed work at Hicks Field. Finance Officer Sandy Pittman said the district's target fund balance is $1,700,000, which she described as sufficient to cover about one month of payroll (approximately $1,650,000).

George Lewis, chair of the Board of Education, urged transparency and open conversations between the commissioners and the Board of Education to improve collaboration on budget decisions.

The Board did not take an immediate vote on the school requests; Howard said he will present updated county budget changes at a May 14 work session.