Union County Public Schools opened the 2026-27 school year Monday, Aug. 24, with a school resource officer in every building for the first time but fewer librarians and traffic directors after a $10 million state-funding shortfall forced cuts across the 53-school district.
The shortfall, which district leaders attribute to declining enrollment, led UCPS to eliminate 11 library and media center positions at middle and high schools and cut traffic director positions at 11 additional schools. Elementary library staff were not affected.
For families at Marvin Ridge, Weddington and Cuthbertson high schools and their feeder middle schools, the library cuts mean fewer staff managing media centers this fall. No source has confirmed which specific schools lost positions, but all district middle and high schools were subject to the reorganization, according to QC News.
Superintendent Dr. Andrew Houlihan told WBTV on Monday, Aug. 24, that his administration would monitor the impact over the first two weeks. "We expect there will be some bumps in the road, but it's another thing that we decided we're going to continue to evaluate and monitor and get feedback," Houlihan said.
Traffic director cuts drew pushback before school started
The traffic director reductions sparked immediate safety concerns. Waxhaw engineer James Kelly told town commissioners that the town disagreed with the district's assurance that student safety would not be compromised, the Charlotte Weekly reported Aug. 10. Waxhaw Police Chief Dexter Wilson cited the school's proximity to a problematic intersection at N.C. 75 and Old Providence Road, where left-turn and right-angle crashes are common. A roundabout is planned there for 2028.
UCPS reinstated traffic directors at Waxhaw Elementary and Antioch Elementary before the first day of school after those concerns were raised, WSOC reported. Nine other schools were not reinstated. At New Town Elementary on Monday, Aug. 24, parents had difficulty turning left out of the school. Janell Davis, a parent of a New Town Elementary fifth grader, told WSOC that day she feels the position is worthwhile and that "traffic is backed up at all the schools."
SROs in every school, funded by county budget
On the security side, the Union County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved funding for one new SRO position in its June 16 budget vote, ensuring every UCPS campus now has a dedicated officer. The Union County Sheriff's Office confirmed it has enough staff to fill the posts.
The county's FY2026-27 budget also included a $5.6 million increase in general operating funding for UCPS and $20.9 million to fully fund the district's operational capital request, according to a county press release.
Board split on teacher supplement funding
Separately, the school board deadlocked 4-4 on Aug. 4 over an interlocal agreement that would have released $3.8 million in county contingency funds for teacher and teacher assistant supplements. Board members Matt Helms, John Kirkpatrick IV, Sarah May and Joe Morreale voted in favor; Chair Jimmy Bention Sr., Sandra Greene, Todd Price and Barry Tucker opposed.
With the agreement blocked, the board voted to fund the supplements using $5.6 million from the county's local funding increase, $5.56 million redirected from other line items and $1.7 million from fund balance, the Charlotte Weekly reported.
Staffing bright spots
Despite the cuts, Houlihan told the Enquirer Journal on Aug. 24 that UCPS hired 225 new teachers and entered the year with fewer than 30 teacher vacancies and about 20 bus driver vacancies, the lowest rates since 2019.
The district serves more than 40,000 students across 53 schools. Houlihan said the administration will report back on the impact of the library and traffic director cuts after the first two weeks of classes.
