[SeeGov Enhanced] Durham Schools Cuts $498K from Outside EC Teacher Contract

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Southpoint AccessWes Platt

Durham Public Schools cut nearly half a million dollars from an outside special education staffing contract before the Board of Education unanimously approved it Thursday night.

The revised agreement with Unlimited Instruction LLC carries a maximum cost of $1,530,040, down $489,054 from the $2,019,094 proposal published earlier in the week.

The savings came from two changes. Unlimited Instruction’s hourly rate fell from $74.92 to $65.95, a reduction of about 12%. The maximum number of hours dropped from 26,950 to 23,200, a reduction of 3,750 hours.

Together, those changes cut the potential cost by about 24%.

Dr. Nicholas King told board members that Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis, Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Teetor, and other district officials negotiated until about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday.

“Through a great deal of diligence and probably stubbornness on my part,” King said, the district secured what he called “a lot better deal.”