RALEIGH, (SGRToday.com) - The State Board of Education has notified Halifax County Schools officials that the board is taking a direct role in budgeting, personnel decisions, and student course assignment.

The board's action is effective immediately, according to the state Department of Public Instruction.

"We are concerned that the Halifax Board is making decisions that are unaffordable and that undermine the many quality teachers and principals who are trying to make a difference for students," said State Board of Education Chairman Bill Cobey in a statement.

A 2009 order forced Halifax officials to cooperate with the state to improve operations and student opportunities.

In the letter to the Halifax Board members, Chairman Cobey directed three actions of the Halifax Board of Education:

* submitting the Halifax budget for detailed review by the State Board of Education or its designee

* requiring all employment actions to be approved by the SBE or designees

* requiring that the district enroll middle and high school students in the NC Virtual Public School when there is not a licensed teacher employed to teach a course required for high school graduation.

The letter is available at ncpublicschools.org.