Concerned parents, educators, and community leaders filled Cliffdale Community Church on Thursday for a town hall focused on one issue: Cumberland County Schools’ decision to end year-round education at E.E. Miller Elementary.
The gathering—organized by families and community advocates—came in response to a February 9 Cumberland County Board of Education vote approving the transition of E.E. Miller to a traditional calendar beginning in the 2027–28 school year.
The measure passed 5-4 as part of a broader facilities planning package that included consolidation steps, potential school closures, and new construction projects aimed at modernizing buildings and addressing more than $800 million in districtwide maintenance and repair needs.
District materials state the calendar transition was approved by the board and is final.
But many families who attended Thursday’s meeting said they are still trying to understand what the decision means for students—and whether community input can still influence what happens next.
Parents Question Impact, Role of Public Input
Speakers repeatedly raised concerns about communication surrounding the decision and the role of public feedback.
Community organizer Toniqueka Stewart said some families were surprised to learn through district communications that the calendar transition had already been approved.
“There has not been transparency in voting processes and decisions,” Stewart said. “When people learned the decision was already final, it raised serious questions about whether families were truly part of the process.”
Several parents said they want clearer explanations of which decisions are still open to community input and which are not.
James Freeman, a longtime Cumberland County Schools parent whose second-grade daughter attends E.E. Miller, said the transition could disrupt students who rely on consistent academic routines.
“This will literally hurt the kids,” Freeman said.
Freeman said his daughter has attended E.E. Miller since kindergarten and has thrived under the year-round structure, which provides shorter breaks and more consistent pacing throughout the school year.
He questioned what evidence shows the transition will improve outcomes for current students.
“The explanation references long-term consistency and feeder patterns,” Freeman said. “But nowhere does it clearly explain how this improves student academic performance—or classroom outcomes—for the children who are there right now.”
Freeman said year-round education provides stability for students who benefit from structured schedules and reduced learning interruptions. “You don’t fix something that’s working by disrupting the people who depend on it the most,” he said.
Freeman also questioned the purpose of feedback if the outcome is already determined.
“If the decision is final, what exactly is the purpose of asking for feedback?” he said. “Feedback only matters when outcomes are still open for consideration. Otherwise, this is not engagement—just notification.”
‘Closure Is Not the Only Solution’
Other parents said the impact extends beyond scheduling and affects academic stability, language programs, and long-term planning for families.
Paige Porchia, an Army veteran and parent of a student at Reid Ross Classical School, said year-round programs provide structure, academic continuity, and flexibility many families depend on.
“These are not theoretical benefits,” Porchia said. “Families choose year-round schools because they work. They offer continuity, structure, and academic support that our children deserve.”
Porchia said if enrollment or utilization is a concern, the district should strengthen year-round programs rather than eliminate them.
“Closure is not the only solution,” she said. “Let’s expand success.”
Michelle Cazarez, president of the E.E. Miller Parent-Teacher Organization, said families are trying to plan for the future while facing uncertainty about programs and transitions.
“That window of the unknown is really scary for us,” Cazarez said. “We’re trying to plan for our children’s futures, and right now there are still so many unanswered questions.”
Cazarez, who has multiple children enrolled at E.E. Miller, said families are especially concerned about continuity for programs such as Spanish immersion and how changes could affect long-term academic pathways.
“For many of us, the uncertainty is the hardest part,” she said. “Families just want to understand what the future looks like for their children and their schools.”
She said parents mobilized quickly after learning about the transition.
“We got the message to use our voice—especially for people who feel like they can’t speak up right now,” Cazarez said. “Families are coming together because this affects real children and real classrooms.”
Parents have launched petitions and community outreach efforts urging the district to reconsider the calendar change or explore alternative options.
State Senator Points to Funding Pressures
State Sen. Val Applewhite, a Democrat whose District 19 includes much of Fayetteville, told families the decisions facing Cumberland County Schools cannot be separated from broader education funding policy.
Applewhite said the issue is personal for her. Members of her family have attended year-round schools in the district, including Anne Chesnutt Middle School, and she said she understands why families value the structure and continuity of those calendars.
But she urged attendees to look beyond the local level when asking why districts make difficult facility and program decisions.
“When funds are cut from the federal government or the state government, it puts this school system under tremendous pressure,” Applewhite said.
She pointed to state policies that direct public tax dollars toward private school tuition programs, saying those shifts reduce resources available to public school systems and influence long-term planning decisions.
“That money leaving the public school system has real consequences,” she said.
Applewhite also noted that North Carolina ranks low nationally in per-pupil spending and teacher pay, factors she said affect staffing, retention and operational decisions across districts.
“If you care about what’s happening here,” Applewhite told attendees, “you also have to pay attention to what’s happening at the state level.”
Families Present Alternative Proposal
Community members also shared an alternative proposal during the town hall that they said would preserve year-round education while addressing the district’s facility challenges.
The community plan calls for consolidating underutilized traditional-calendar schools and using the resulting cost savings to maintain E.E. Miller’s year-round schedule. Organizers said district capacity data shows available space across multiple campuses and argued consolidation could reduce operating expenses while preserving family choice.
Supporters described the proposal as a cost-neutral approach that aligns with the district’s long-term facilities planning goals. District officials have not publicly responded to the recommendation.
District: Decision Finalized with Board Vote
Cumberland County Schools officials said the calendar transition was approved during the school board’s meeting on February 9 and communicated through multiple channels following that vote.
Lindsay Whitley, associate superintendent for communications and community engagement, said in a written statement to CityView the decision was made in open session and publicly announced afterward.
“The determination was made in open session on Feb. 9, and subsequent communications reflected the action taken at that meeting,” Whitley said.
He said the district issued a press release, updated its website and social media platforms, and sent a voice message to families following the board’s action. The district has continued updating its facilities planning webpage and frequently asked questions to provide additional clarification.
Whitley said confusion may stem from other actions the school board took at the meeting. Those included a vote to start the closure process for three schools, though state law requires a public hearing about any closures before a final vote by the board.
“The calendar transition for E.E. Miller, however, was a direct Board action approved on Feb. 9,” Whitley said.
