Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board Approves Job Cuts, Saves Some Positions

District faces declining enrollment, rising costs, and less funding, leading to difficult budget decisions.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 12:09pm

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A visually striking grid of brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen images depicting stacks of textbooks and school supplies, conceptually representing the complex budget decisions facing the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district.As Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools grapple with budget cuts and enrollment declines, the district's bold visual identity reflects the creative energy needed to navigate these challenges.Durham Today

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board voted 4-2 to approve 19 central office job cuts, including 17 central administration and leadership positions, to save $1.5 to $2 million in next year's budget. However, the board voted to save two mental health specialists and an autism specialist, reducing the projected savings by at least $300,000. The district is also considering closing elementary schools to cut costs as enrollment continues to decline.

Why it matters

Like many North Carolina school districts, Chapel Hill-Carrboro is facing significant budget challenges due to declining enrollment, rising costs, and reduced funding. These job cuts are part of the district's efforts to balance its budget, but the decision to save some positions reflects the board's desire to prioritize student mental health and support services.

The details

The school board voted to cut 19 central office positions, including 17 central administration and leadership staff, plus six central-services employees working in schools. However, the board voted to save two mental health specialists and an autism specialist, reducing the projected savings by at least $300,000. The changes will take effect by June 30, and affected employees could fill other district jobs. The plan includes roughly $700,000 to restructure central office operations for a net projected savings of $1.7 million.

  • The school board voted on the job cuts on Thursday, April 10, 2026.
  • The changes will take effect by June 30, 2026.

The players

Rodney Trice

Superintendent of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district.

Rani Dasi

Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board member who argued successfully to save two mental health specialists and an autism specialist.

George Griffin

Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board member who voted against the amended plan, arguing that the district should respect the superintendent's original proposal.

Barbara Fedders

Vice Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board, who voted against the amended plan.

Nathan Dollar

Director of Carolina Demography, who provided the school board with an update on declining enrollment and the district's development pipeline.

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What they’re saying

“I think we need to respect [ Trice's] proposal, to make your reductions as a start, and not start adding things back here and there.”

— George Griffin, Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board member

“Part of the job of the board is to be responsive to what administration brings before us, not to blindly accept anything that's brought before us.”

— Rani Dasi, Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board member

“This is among the most difficult responsibilities that I have in my role as superintendent, but the recommendation is grounded in a careful analysis of some of the challenges — headwinds — we continue to face as a district.”

— Rodney Trice, Superintendent

What’s next

The district staff will research several factors and return to the school board in May with a recommendation on which elementary school to close in 2027, followed by a June 4 vote.

The takeaway

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board's decision to approve job cuts while saving some positions reflects the difficult budget decisions facing many North Carolina districts due to declining enrollment, rising costs, and reduced funding. The district's efforts to balance its budget and prioritize student support services highlight the complex challenges facing public education in the state.