Board approves cutting 80 positions within Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools plans to get rid of dozens of positions, according to the agenda for a recent Board of Education meeting. 

On Wednesday, Aug. 21, the board approved a plan to reduce the workforce in the district, eliminating 81 positions.

According to the meeting materials, the district has experienced a decrease in student enrollment in recent years and is facing a budget shortfall.

"This difficult decision is driven by a number of contributing factors," the agenda reads, citing declining enrollment, a shortfall in continuation funding from the county, inflation and a depleted fund balance, as a reason for the staff reductions.

"District Administration understands the gravity of this matter and its potential impact on our school community," the document reads.

The cuts include different departments and roles. In the district's Central Office, which oversees operations at Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, 24 full-time equivalent positions will be dropped, of which 13 are already vacant.

In the instructional support and non-core teaching roles, which exclude teachers of core subjects like English, math, social studies and science, 57 full-time equivalent positions will be dropped. 

The layoffs will be final on June 30, 2025, according to the plan, and will save the district a projected $5 million annually in the fiscal years to follow. 

The plan also recommends a $100,000 reduction in the district's "extra duty/co-curricular budget," with changes made across elementary, middle, and high schools.