Pender County commissioners unanimously approve $2.7 million to avert school staffing cuts

Pender County commissioners voted unanimously on a motion to amend the county's fiscal 2026–27 budget and provide an additional $2.7 million to Pender County Schools, following more than two hours of public comment and a detailed presentation from district leaders about operating shortfalls.

School leaders had presented two budget options: a "maintaining services" proposal and a higher-cost "advancing services" plan. Superintendent Dr. Breedlove told the boards the district's maintaining-services request totaled about $33,789,720 — roughly $4 million above the district's current funding — and said the county-approved budget provided Pender County Schools approximately $31,089,720, creating a local shortfall of about $2.7 million.

The district and many speakers described what those local reductions would look like in classrooms. "Every number is a child," said parent Sarah Wear in public comment. Jessica Bellflower, identified as the principal of Topsel Elementary, described how eliminating instructional coaches, beginning-teacher mentors and exceptional-children support staff would shift work to classroom teachers, cut planning time and reduce direct student supports. Student Kenya Johnson told commissioners that an instructional coach had helped her class through a difficult transition and urged continued support for coaching positions.

County staff and commissioners spent the meeting weighing options for covering the gap. The county manager described efforts to reduce department-level spending by roughly $26.6 million to avoid a tax increase and warned that using one-time reserves for recurring payroll costs would raise the county's per-pupil spending baseline and create future budget pressure. Several commissioners said that, after hearing testimony from teachers and students, they supported a one-time use of fund balance to preserve classroom services while pursuing longer-term solutions such as asset sales and lobbying the state for policy changes.

Legal and posting requirements were discussed before the vote. County staff said they were preparing an updated budget ordinance "that takes it out of the fund balance" and asked for legal guidance on whether the action could be taken at the special meeting. The board voted to suspend procedural rules, amend the agenda, and approve the budget revision; the vote was unanimous by voice.

Commissioners and school leaders described the allocation as a near-term step to prevent immediate classroom impacts — particularly the loss of instructional coaches and substitute coverage — and said they would meet again with district leaders and explore asset sales and other revenue options to replenish the fund balance. One commissioner urged a collaborative, recurring schedule for county–school board meetings to avoid similar surprises in future budget cycles.

The board did not specify line-by-line funding moves in the public record at the meeting; staff were directed to draft the ordinance reflecting the $2.7 million and return it to the board for formal adoption. The meeting closed with a ceremonial signing and applause from teachers and parents.