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The Dare County Board of Education convened for a regular meeting on March 10. The meeting saw passionate appeals from community members, administrators and educators, focusing on teacher compensation, student safety and recognition of outstanding staff and students. Among the evening’s agenda was the announcement of Steve Blackstock’s retirement as Dare County Schools assistant superintendent.

Superintendent Steve Basnight shared with the board that Blackstock is retiring, effective July 1. Blackstock has served the district in various roles, including math teacher, bus driver, middle school assistant basketball coach, principal and assistant superintendent. Basnight paid tribute to Blackstock, expressing gratitude for his dedication and service to the district. He acknowledged Blackstock’s willingness to listen and respect different perspectives, and praised his commitment to the district’s students and staff.

The board accepted Blackstock’s letter of retirement, and Basnight presented a heartfelt farewell, saying, “I’d like to say thank you to my colleague, my partner and my friend for being willing to stand beside me when sometimes it felt like we’re the only two standing.”

During public comment, Heidi Hess emphasized the importance of quality teachers in shaping students’ futures. Citing a report by the American Economic Association, Hess highlighted the positive impact of experienced, well-compensated teachers on student outcomes, including college attendance and higher salaries. Hess expressed concern about North Carolina’s ranking in teacher compensation, with the state’s average teacher pay falling $13,000 below the national average. Dare County’s average teacher starting salary ranks 42nd in the nation, she shared. Hess urged the board to consider increasing the local teacher supplement to attract and retain top talent.

Miriam Rollin again addressed the board about the need for a clear policy on interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in schools. Rollin cited the rescission of a federal policy preventing ICE agents from entering schools and emphasized the importance of protecting students’ rights and safety. She presented examples of guidance documents from other school districts, such as Wake County Schools, which outline procedures for handling ICE requests. She urged the board to adopt a similar policy to ensure that students feel safe and supported.

Laura Brown, a concerned parent, addressed an incident which occurred in September of 2024 at Manteo High School (MHS) involving “inappropriate sexual activity.” She expressed concerns about the district’s handling of the situation and the “misrepresentation” of information via the “See Something, Say Something” anonymous reporting system. Brown emphasized the importance of creating a safe and trustworthy reporting system for students, and warned against its possible ineffectiveness if misused.

The board then recognized outstanding staff and students, including Morgan Miller and Skyla Simpson, both from First Flight High School (FFHS), for their achievements in athletics. Miller, a two-time state champion in cross-country, and Simpson, a state wrestling champion, were honored for their dedication and perseverance.

Beverly Hagy, a reading interventionist at Cape Hatteras Elementary School, was recognized for receiving the Northeast Regional Science of Reading True Trailblazer Award. Hagy was praised for her innovative approach to literacy instruction and her commitment to improving student outcomes.

In other business, the board announced that DCS had been awarded a grant for Advanced Teaching Roles, a program aimed at creating innovative compensation models and supporting teacher professional growth. The grant, totaling $917,000, will be dispersed over three years.

Caitlin Spruill, director of elementary education, presented an overview of the grant and its objectives. The program aims to establish organizational changes related to compensation, focusing on classroom teacher professional growth and measurable improvements for students. According to Spruill, the proposal for the grant was a comprehensive, 44-page document that required in-depth research and justification. The grant will support the district’s existing Teaching and Learning Facilitator (TLF) program, which provides ongoing coaching and support to classroom teachers.

The TLF program is designed to improve teacher efficacy and student outcomes. By providing embedded coaching and modeling, the program aims to increase the effectiveness of professional learning for teachers. According to research, this approach can lead to a significant increase in teacher knowledge, skill and practice. The grant will also support the district’s literacy initiatives, including the Read Across America program. Several schools in the district participated in the program, which aims to promote literacy and a love of reading among students.

The board was also provided with an in-depth overview of the school district’s funding breakdown and budget highlights. According to the presentation, 51% of the school district’s budget comes from state funding, while 45.5% is derived from local funding. Federal funding accounts for 3.4% of the budget. The funding formulas, which are based on average daily membership (ADM) and other factors such as county tax value, class size, and poverty level, were also discussed. The projected decrease in ADM by 3% in the 2025-2026 school year is expected to result in a corresponding decrease in funding.

“That doesn’t mean we may or may not lose any funding, what that means is the impact of that funding will probably be less on us than it’s going to be on some of the districts who get massive amounts of federal funding in North Carolina,” Basnight shared.

88.3% of the funding through DCS goes to employee salaries and benefits. The budget highlights revealed that classroom teachers comprise 34% of the budget, with $26 million allocated for teacher salaries. Non-instructional support staff account for 12.6% of the budget, with $1.5 million allocated for classified staff salaries. Children with special needs make up 7.6% of the budget, with $4 million allocated for exceptional children services. In addition, the school district outlined its capital outlay requests, which totaled $3.1 million. Of this amount, $613,000 was allocated for capital outlay projects, including the replacement of a bus, maintenance and repairs, and technology upgrades. The school district also presented its five-year capital improvement plan, which includes projects such as field irrigation upgrades, heat pump replacements, and repaving of school parking lots.

The budget, which totals $83 million, includes allocations for operating expenses, capital projects, and enterprise funds. The operating budget, which accounts for the majority of the total budget, is projected to be $76 million. This amount includes $39 million in state funding, $35 million in local funding, and $2 million in federal funding.

The capital projects budget totals $3.8 million, which includes $2.8 million in capital improvement plan funding and $940,000 in capital outlay funding. Projects included in the capital budget include the replacement of the fire alarm system at MHS, auditorium seating upgrades at Kitty Hawk Elementary School, and air handler replacement at the central office.

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