School board approves revised budget
9:17 p.m. June 9, 2025
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
The Moore County School Board covered a lot of ground at its regular monthly meeting Monday night, giving the green light to next year’s budgets, teacher and staff pay raises, and potentially adding a student advisory panel that aims to provide students a voice in school matters.
After a quick revision to the previous meeting’s minutes, board members approved the evening’s agenda, which included a few late additions – some policy updates and an overnight volleyball camp request.
Budget Talks and Pay Raises
Director of Schools Chad Moorehead presented an amendment to the current school year’s budget, which included $285,750 in extra revenue. Most of that money came from grants, including funding for summer school and the Innovative School Model program. The amendment also reallocated a few expenses to address areas where spending exceeded earlier this year.
Moorehead noted the proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year was essentially the same as what the board OK'd in May, except for a few tweaks – namely, pulling out planned purchases for textbooks and a new school bus. The budget also reflects the recently approved adjusted property tax rate by the Metro Council.
During the Metro Council's meeting in May, Mayor Sloan Stewart said the county could purchase the bus through another means, but did not know if the textbooks could be included. “You could do the bus out of debt service on a five-year amortization schedule. You’re looking at a $40,000 a year payment, and it wouldn’t affect the debt service.”
Ultimately, District 4 Council member Bradley Dye suggested the state-mandated $50,000 salaries but cut the school bus and textbooks from the proposed budget. Dropping the school bus and textbooks sliced $200,000 from the budget and reduced the tax rate from $1.7812 to $1.7412.
Dexter Golden seconded the motion, and the board voted 10-5 to approve the first reading with a $1.7412 tax levy.
Amy Cashion, Shane Taylor, Douglas Carson, John Taylor, Marty Cashion, Dexter Golden, Houston Lindsey, Arvis Bobo, Bradley Dye, and Gerald Burnett voted “yes.”
Robert Bracewell, Darrel Richards, Jimmy Hammond, Peggy Sue Blackburn, and Greg Guinn voted “no.”
The second reading of the county's FY 2025-26 budget will be on Monday, June 16. At 6 p.m., the council will hear public comments, and the regularly scheduled monthly meeting will follow at 6:30 p.m.
• The cafeteria budget for 2025-26 also got the go-ahead. Moorehead said it includes a 3% raise for cafeteria staff and is fully funded through federal programs and student-paid meals. He did caution that a state-mandated increase in lunch prices might be on the horizon this fall.
Salary Updates
In a move that directly benefits local educators, the board approved new state-mandated salary schedule for teachers. The new teacher pay scale bumps the base salary up to $50,000.
Moorehead emphasized that while the state often highlights just a few salary steps, Moore County’s plan increases pay across the entire schedule – Years 1, 6, and 11.
• Support staff will also receive a 3% raise, in line with the county’s overall employee pay policy.
Federal Funding and Staffing
The board approved the annual Consolidated Federal Funding Application. This lengthy document outlines how federal dollars will be allocated in the upcoming school year, covering a range of areas, including RTI positions and special education staff. Although it’s already received state approval, Moorehead warned that changes at the federal level could affect that funding.
"We do, at times, have to take some of those positions and roll them into our GP [general purpose] budget, pay for them as long as we have the federal funding," Moorehead said, "but I've heard horror stories about huge cuts in the middle of the year."
• In staffing news, the board accepted the resignation of Lynchburg Elementary School and 2018 Teacher of the Year Tina Templeton, who accepted a position at Lincoln County.
Student Voices to Be Heard
In response to a new state law, the board also approved the potential formation of a student advisory panel. The law requires school boards with high schools to give students a formal voice – either through a student panel or by appointing a non-voting student board member.
Moorehead recommended exploring options after July 1. The board agreed, opening the door to more student involvement in district decisions.
Wrapping Up
Also on the agenda was the approval of the district’s Differentiated Pay Plan for the upcoming school year. Moorehead noted that the plan has remained unchanged since 2016 and includes protections that allow the district to pause incentives if funding ever becomes unavailable.
