Gaston County Schools

Gaston County Schools Discuss Staffing Loss of Nearly 300 Since 2024

Gaston County Schools Board of Education Operations Committee Meeting | May 4, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Posted Tuesday, May 5, 2026 3:30 pm

By: Wise News Network Staff

Gaston County, NC (WNN) - Amid Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8), Gaston County Schools shared an update on their ongoing Reduction in Force (RIF), outlining staffing cuts and budget adjustments projected through July 2026.

"I would like to remind everybody that we are a very large district," said Superintendent Houchard. He goes on to state that Gaston County is the ninth-largest district in North Carolina, and the stats can verify:

31,000 Students
3,800 Employees
56 Schools
5 Central Service Offices

Since 2015, the number of employees has been 3,460 (per govsalaries.com). During the meeting, Houchard explained that during COVID, staffing levels were increased due to additional funding. This is despite the student population remaining relatively flat throughout the entire 10-year period. Now in 2026, Gaston County Schools no longer has the funding to employ the extra staff. The planned cuts provided below will return Gaston County to the level it was at ten years ago.

RIF Overview

Gaston County Schools Board of Education Opertations Committee Meeting | May 4, 2026

The goal, according to the RIF Overview, is to adjust staffing to match current funding levels amid the budgeting crisis and state budget. From July 2024 to July 2026, the total projected cuts are listed below:

45 Central Office positions
243 School-Level positions

For the 2025-2026 school year, the district has already implemented:

34 Central Office positions
69 School-Level positions
A hiring freeze
- Note that Gaston County Schools currently have 133 open positions as of May 5, 2026. This is because the positions listed on the employment webpage are designated as critical and/or required by the state.
- A spending freeze

Additional cuts are being made to the 2026-2027 school year, with 10 central office positions and 174 school-level positions.

Central Office and School-Level Positions

At the central office level, RIF spans multiple departments, including academic services, technology, operations, and student support. However, Houchard noted that many central office employees will not be laid off entirely. Instead, those with proper licensure may transition into school-based roles.

Gaston County Schools Board of Education Opertations Committee Meeting | May 4, 2026

When it comes to school-level positions, many were RIF'd, including:

33 teacher positions
8 Educational Partners International (EPI) positions
8 Digital Learning Facilitators
5 Teacher Assistants
4 Clerical/Custodians
24 School Counselors
12 Media Specialists

Additionally, more than 200 employees have retired, and the district is choosing to absorb many of those roles rather than replace them, and is moving many of the RIF positions into the recently retired roles.

How Does RIF Impact Cherryville Schools?

Students at John Chavis Middle School have lost their Spanish and Art teachers, in addition to their Band teacher, who was cut for the 2024-2025 school year.

At Cherryville High School, multiple positions were cut, including:

Media specialist/librarian
Spanish
English
Math
Counselor

Not to mention, Cherryville Schools will no longer have a social worker in the area.

Looking Ahead

District leaders describe these decisions as both difficult and necessary. The Gaston County School Board still has 2 more months left in its 2024-2026 budgeting phase.