Buncombe County Schools Board of Education- 9/03/26

The Buncombe County Schools Board of Education’s regular meeting on September 3, 2026, included budget deliberations on staffing and athletic supplements, along with procurement-related policy changes. The board declined a midyear increase for Exceptional Children assistants but approved increasing their workday from seven to eight hours starting in the 2027–28 school year; the estimated maximum recurring annual cost was approximately $530,795 if all 150 assistants opt in. For athletics, the proposed immediate 5% increase to all coaching supplements was defeated, as was an immediate start for supplements for newly sanctioned sports. The board then approved those new-sport supplements for 2027–28. The presentation estimated a combined annual cost of $258,592 for the 5% coach increase and supplements for the new sports. Board members cited a projected $2 million fund balance after planned use of $15 million and uncertainty about future state and county funding in discussing the timing of these expenses.

The board also rescinded policies on participation by historically underutilized businesses and minority businesses after staff explained that the state statutory framework underlying those policies had been repealed. The discussion covered bidding for purchases and construction work; staff noted that small-business provisions remain in the vendor-list policy and that the district could consider future policies to encourage participation. No contract awards, vendor selections, or specific purchasing bids were identified.