Durham Schools Board of Education - March 26, 2026: Weighing Raises, Technology, and Student Wins
The Durham Public Schools Board of Education honors standout students, athletes, and staff, then debates a $2.8 million classroom technology plan amid concerns about screen time and aging facilities before unanimously adopting an ambitious budget with significant raises. The board also approves a new Arts Proficiency endorsement that lets high school students showcase advanced arts work directly on their transcripts. 42mins
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Original Meeting
Thursday, March 26th, 2026
12828.0
#DPSCommunity | DPS Board of Education Monthly Meeting | 3/26/26
Video Notes
#DPSCommunity | DPS Board of Education Monthly Meeting | 3/26/26
In This Video
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District leaders and Jordan High School coaches recognized scholar-athletes for a state-championship 200 freestyle relay that set a long-standing school record, a track and field squad that narrowly missed a team state title, and a nationally ranked high jumper who earned a national championship and committed to compete at the University of South Carolina.
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The principal of the Southern School of Energy and Sustainability celebrated the Spartans boys basketball team for an outstanding 28–3 season that included an undefeated conference record, regular season and conference tournament titles, a state championship, and a top-25 national ranking while embodying the school’s mission and sense of brotherhood.
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Executive Director Hayes recognized school social worker Brittany Frost as Durham Public Schools’ February Employee of the Month for exemplifying a growth mindset through initiatives such as organizing Thanksgiving meals for families, creating a school food pantry, expanding a community service club, and building strong, supportive relationships with students across two campuses.
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Superintendent Lewis celebrated Hillside High School scholars for national recognition in two STEM competitions, highlighted Durham School of the Arts being selected to perform in the opening ceremony of the International Thespian Festival, and recognized Shepherd Middle School students for winning the Black History Knowledge Bowl Championship at North Carolina State University.
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A speaker urged the board to redirect planned Chromebook and BrightLink spending toward staffing and infrastructure, citing research and a recent social media verdict to argue that widespread screen-based learning was harming student outcomes and called for audits, transparency, and community input on educational technology use.
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Chief Finance Officer Jeremy Teetor outlined 16 months of budget work to avoid layoffs, describing efforts to eliminate reliance on vacancy and lapse-salary funding, reduce roughly 315 such positions to zero, and implement $24.3 million in expenditure reductions to live within the district’s means while reporting this progress to county commissioners.
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Teetor reviewed pending state budget actions—including possible April 21 House movement on raises for certified and classified staff, restoration of state-funded master’s pay, and expected increases in retirement and health insurance contributions—and explained how these changes could align with the district’s continuation budget forecast.
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Board Member Chávez questioned whether the proposed $2.8 million for technology could instead fund HVAC repairs, and staff responded that high costs for items like boilers and roofs made it difficult to directly equate the tech spending to specific capital projects but offered to provide additional estimates.
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Staff explained that refreshing 17,000 out-of-warranty Chromebooks for grades 6–12 would prevent two-week instructional disruptions from device failures, reduce repair costs through warranty coverage, and require board and county commissioner approval of a lease under which the district would make payments and retain ownership of the devices.
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Superintendent Lewis emphasized that classroom technology should serve as a tool to enhance instruction rather than replace teachers, noted concerns about educators paying out of pocket for replacement bulbs, and proposed a phased device replacement cycle by grade bands to ensure high-quality instructional tools without large annual costs.
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Board Member Beyer reflected on difficult funding choices facing supportive county commissioners given the district’s larger-than-expected $28.5 million request, voiced confidence that the ambitious budget was defensible based on community input, and framed planned technology investments as part of clear learning environment guidelines that ensured up-to-date devices were used as instructional tools rather than babysitters.
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Board Member Beyer shared that county commissioners were interested in aligning starting wages between Durham County and Durham Public Schools, emphasized what a significant commitment that would be, and affirmed support for a defensible pay proposal in which all staff would receive at least a 12% raise without reducing legacy pay while leaving room to explore additional ideas in the future.
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A staff member cautioned that any last-minute state budget action affecting the current year was uncertain but would be communicated promptly, and Board Member Beyer highlighted ongoing advocacy in Raleigh and called for future Senate leadership to treat education funding as a nonpartisan, foundational investment for the state.
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In response to a question from Board Member Chávez, Director of Arts Education Turner explained that the Arts Proficiency endorsement would help students showcase their artistic achievements directly on transcripts, distinguish North Carolina students in college admissions, and amplify student voice as colleges and universities increasingly recognize the credential.
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