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N.C. House budget doesn’t sit well with educators
The N.C. Department of Public Instruction released a statement today from N.C. State Board of Education Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Harrison and State Superintendent June Atkinson on potential budget cuts to education offered by the N.C. House of Representatives’ budget proposal…
“It is our hope that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education’s budget draft is only a beginning and that there is much more discussion ahead. It is clear the state faces an extremely difficult economic situation, and that sacrifices will have to be made. The 11 percent budget cuts outlined by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education are severe and would have a significant negative impact on our classrooms and our schools.”
Following is a sample of the proposed cuts:
Reduction of the length of the school year for students by five days in fiscal year 2009-10 and five more days (total of 10) in fiscal year 2010-11. This would reduce instructional days to 175 in 2009-10 and to 170 in 2010-11 (rather than the current 180).
6,005 fewer Classroom Teachers (increase class size teacher allotment by two per grade)
4,663 fewer Teacher Assistants (base formula on K-2 ADM rather than K-3)
354 fewer Instructional Support personnel (counselors, media specialists, social workers)
187 fewer Assistant Principals (increase allotment to 1:890 rather than 1:799)
A 5 percent reduction to Non-instructional Support (clerical and custodians)
Low Wealth Supplemental Funding - Fund counties at 90 percent and below. This adjustment would eliminate funding 13 school districts from Low Wealth funding. (Craven, Cumberland, Davie, Gaston, Lincoln, Madison, Mitchell, Onslow, Pender, Perquimans, Union, Warren, Yancey)
A reduction of $4.5 million to Small County Supplemental Funding
A 10 percent reduction to More at Four
Elimination of Learn and Earn Online
Elimination of application fee payment for teachers seeking certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
Elimination of Literacy Coaches
A non-recurring reduction of $38 million to Textbooks
Non-recurring reduction to staff development (no funding for two years)
A 5.38 percent reduction or $6.5 million to Central Office
An 11 percent reduction in FY 2009-10 and an additional 4 percent (total of 15 percent) reduction in FY 2010-11 to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. This would eliminate 52 positions in 2009-10 and 19 more (71 total) in 2010-11.
Also, the N.C. Association of Educators issued a statement yesterday from president Sheri Strickland regarding the N.C. House of Representatives’ budget proposal:
“The House Budget announced today offered dangerous and draconian cuts to public schools across North Carolina. By raising class sizes and eliminating more than 12,000 jobs in public education, elected leaders will put our state at-risk and jeopardize our economy. How can putting nearly 13,000 people on unemployment turn this economy around?
As I said to the nearly 1,000 educators who came this past weekend to Raleigh to protest cuts to public schools, North Carolina will face even tougher economic times if we balance the budget on the backs of educators, children and schools.
The General Assembly is ignoring sensible ways to raise revenue and offer long-term solutions for our state. With cuts this severe, the future of North Carolina’s system of public education is at stake.”
The N.C. Association of Educators is the state’s largest education association representing more than 60,000 active, retired and student members.
Comments
By william
May 26, 2009 1:06 PM | Link to this
It the govement would stop funding all the igelas imgrents in school and stop giveing food stamsp to them there be plenty of money and no one would have to take days off with out pay. Get read of joint citizenship no more ancor babies no more pregant farm workers allowed in NC. Talk about cutting the budget I just cut lover a billion with this if perdue was this smart