Highlights from Durham Public Schools Board of Education

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education celebrates outstanding students, staff, and teachers before turning to weighty topics including law enforcement policies, student safety concerns, and public comment on immigration enforcement and special education. Board members then grapple with budget pressures—from charter school growth to before- and after-school care—sparring over steep tuition increases, sliding-scale options, and how to involve families before final decisions are made.

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education hears emotional testimony from school therapists about low pay and vacancies, then receives a deep discipline update on restorative practices, suspensions, and student belonging. The board also weighs a feasibility study for the historic Old Lowe’s Grove School and reviews budget plans that prioritize classified pay, federal funding risks, and more transparent community engagement.

The board moved a new student phone policy forward after hearing student and parent feedback, debate over lunch use, and research on learning impacts. Members also celebrated seven schools exiting the low-performing list while questioning state support, and reviewed enrollment declines, family choice pressures, and Chromebook repair needs.

The board unveils a tiered plan for policy updates led by a new Policy Committee, prioritizing state mandated changes. The superintendent presses for educator raises in the state budget, and public commenters highlight ICE fears, mold concerns, and the future of the DSA campus.