Union County schools budget shortfall brings cuts to media coordinator positions
Union County Public Schools is overhauling its school media program next year, eliminating 11 positions and moving away from having a dedicated media coordinator in every school.
The restructuring, approved as part of the district’s 2026-27 budget this week, comes as UCPS grapples with a projected $10 million state funding shortfall tied to declining enrollment, district officials said Thursday.
Under the new structure, traditional media coordinators will transition into a role called “instructional media and learning coordinator,” serving schools in clusters rather than being assigned full time to a single building, said UCPS Assistant Superintendent of Communications and Community Relations Tahira Stalberte. The district described the move as an effort to “right-size” staffing and modernize the role while continuing media services for students.
UCPS currently has 48 media coordinator positions. Of the 11 positions being eliminated, five are already vacant because of resignations or unfilled openings, Stalberte said. No current employees have been fired and all current media coordinators will be offered a position somewhere within Union County Public Schools for the next school year.
Media coordinators met with district staff Thursday to learn about the restructuring. Stalberte said the district adjusted various staffing levels because of the budget shortfall.
“Due to the projected state-funding deficit, UCPS has adjusted staffing levels across multiple personnel categories and budgets to align with the projected state allotment,” Stalberte said in an email to The Charlotte Observer. “One category is the restructuring of the Media Coordinator model to right-size for enrollment, modernize the job description and better support the instructional needs of our schools and students,”
Stalberte said media services will continue to be available on a daily basis. The district has not yet determined how many schools each employee may serve under the cluster-based system.
“The exact placement of employees will be determined when all jobs are filled,” Stalberte said.
Current media coordinators are being encouraged to apply for the new positions, according to the district.
Questions also remain about whether compensation could change for employees who move into different positions. According to the district, future pay will depend on an employee’s role and certification or licensure status.
Union County is not alone in navigating mounting financial pressure as North Carolina school districts contend with uncertainty around state education funding, enrollment shifts and rising operational costs.
Nearby districts including Gaston County Schools, Cabarrus County Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have also faced budget issues in recent weeks. Earlier this month, thousands of teachers and school employees rallied in Raleigh calling for higher pay and increased investment in public schools, while warning that budget strains are increasingly affecting staffing and student services.
