Southpoint Access

[SoDu Sunrise Showcase] Snowed Under by DPS Shortfall

The kids want to sled. We'll see what happens. How are you spending this snow day? Send pictures to southpointaccessnews@gmail.com!

Wes Platt

22 Jan 2025 — 2 min read

The Southpoint Access Mobile News Vehicle under a light blanket of snow.

Less than an inch of snow fell outside my house in South Durham, but the sub-freezing temperatures were enough to persuade Durham Public Schools leaders to cancel for the day.

The kids want to sled. We'll see what happens. How are you spending this snow day? Send pictures to southpointaccessnews@gmail.com!

Don't forget that Durham libraries are available as warming centers.

Meanwhile, in the middle of all the news alerts about weather messing with afterschool activities, causing delays, and then ultimately shutting down Durham schools, you might've missed a couple of other bits of news.

Durham Schools Facing $7M Budget Shortfall

When the Board of Education meets Thursday evening, we'll hear directly from the district's finance team about another budget shortfall. You might remember the drama this time last year when the district was scrambling to find money to implement a classified worker pay plan.

The new deficit of about $7 million is blamed on unbudgeted positions (many of them unfilled), charter school payments, child nutrition budget shortfall due to new food sourcing/preparation process, incorrect estimation of master's pay funding, and utility expenses.

The new shortfall would've been worse if the district hadn't taken steps at the beginning of the school year, withholding 15% of every school and departmental budget to help cover situations like this.

North Carolina Among States Challenging Birthright Citizenship Order: Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined the lawsuit, arguing that President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship is unconstitutional.