WCPSS Department Leaders Detail Proposed Budget Cuts and Service Reductions
Board will review proposals and weigh alternatives, with acknowledgement that any effort to restore one service will require cuts elsewhere
Holly Springs, NC, Mar. 26, 2025 — As the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) works to close a significant budget gap for the 2025–2026 school year, district chiefs presented detailed plans to repurpose funds and reduce expenses during a March 25 Budget and Finance Committee meeting. Their presentations focused on proposed staffing eliminations, service reductions, and supply cuts across multiple departments to preserve funding for school-based needs and mitigate the impact on students.
The proposed reductions come as WCPSS anticipates rising operating costs for new schools, compensation increases, and inflation-driven expenses, with little expectation of new local or federal revenue to match. Leaders emphasized that 90% of the district’s funding is already allocated directly to schools, leaving a narrow margin for realignment elsewhere.
Central Office Staffing Eliminations and Program Shifts
From the Office of the Chief of Schools, the district proposed eliminating several vacant positions, including a planned area superintendent and associated staff, a director in student assignment, and a shift of one role from local funding to the building program budget. Because the positions were vacant, the goal is to minimize disruption to current operations.
In addition, the department proposed reductions in non-personnel budgets across several programs, such as magnet programs, real estate services, and student assignment. “These are all non-personnel adjustments,” one chief explained, noting that supplies such as paper, office materials, and printer costs were analyzed for potential savings based on past expenditures.
While not affecting school-level budgets directly, the cuts could still reduce central departments' ability to support schools. “It’s still going to somehow or another trickle down to impact the classroom,” one board member cautioned, requesting specific examples of which materials and activities would be affected.
Administrative Services to Cut Contracted Services, New Positions
Administrative Services also proposed cuts, including eliminating a newly created senior administrator position for talent acquisition. The position was meant to support an additional area superintendent, which will no longer be added under the current proposal.
Nearly $500,000 in additional savings is expected to come from reduced contracted services, including adjustments to courier frequency and other external vendor services. One official noted that while some contracts are required—like criminal background checks—others can be scaled back. “We may have to adjust the frequency... and as we continue to shift towards more digital communication, that should have less impact.”
Academic Services to Reduce Instructional and Health Roles
The Chief Academic Advancement Office proposed eliminating ten Digital Learning Coordinator (DLC) positions, two of which are currently vacant. The remaining DLCs have played a vital role in coaching, modeling instructional practices, and integrating digital tools in schools. The district plans to shift to a multi-tiered support model using coordinating teachers, school-based instructional facilitators, and existing professional development contracts.
“Of the ten coordinator positions that we are removing, the plan is to ask existing coordinators to pick up more work,” a chief explained. The comment prompted concern among board members about increasing workloads at a time when other employee benefits may be reduced. “So we’re asking our staff to do more work while we are taking away benefits.”
In the health services area, five vacant certified nursing positions will be removed due to difficulty recruiting licensed candidates. Instead, the district will continue using contracted nursing services and reevaluate staffing strategies for future years.
The academic department also outlined proposed reductions in supply budgets and a realignment of funds from the JUUL (anti-vaping) settlement. Initially designated for wellness programs, $1.7 million of the $6 million settlement would be used to support the general budget, with assurances that future funding would return to its intended purpose. “Every indication to me is that the board has not moved away from committing all of those funds for that purpose,” one official said.
Facilities and Operations: Cuts to Maintenance and Transportation
The Facilities and Operations division proposed several reductions in transportation and maintenance. These include decreased fuel purchases, reduced spending on contracted parts and services for bus and vehicle maintenance, and scaling back custodial services.
In maintenance and operations, contracted services would also be reduced in areas such as floor waxing, groundskeeping, and mulch delivery. “We may look at hanging on to some carpet for longer periods. We may look at less grass cutting,” one leader stated. “We would likely cut out mulch to schools.”
Board members raised concerns that these reductions, while perhaps necessary, could exacerbate long-standing challenges related to school cleanliness, maintenance, and transportation reliability. “We’ve seen case after case of school closings disrupting teachers’ work plans and disrupting families,” one board member said. “And it can be destabilizing for the children as well.”
Collaborative but Difficult Decisions
Across departments, WCPSS leaders emphasized that reductions were discussed collaboratively, with each team identifying areas where cuts could be made with the least impact. “We sat down as a collective group in order to make sure that not only can we support each other moving forward, but we can identify the least impact by giving these resources back,” one chief said.
As the budget process continues, board members will review these proposals and weigh alternatives, with many acknowledging that any effort to restore one service will require cuts elsewhere. “If we add something, please be mindful that something has to be deducted.”