Funding gap will hurt Wake students, school board says

Raleigh, N.C. — School leaders said Tuesday that a $36 million gap in the Wake County Board of Education's 2008-2009 budget will have a negative affect on the quality of education students receive.

"There will be an impact on services provided to students," Wake schools Superintendant Del Burns said. "If we eliminate programs that are designed to help students learn, of course, there will be an impact on achievement."

The Wake County Board of Commissioners, on Monday, allotted the school system $319.2 million in its $984 million budget – a move that school board members say was frustrating, shocking and disappointing.

"We're going backwards," school board member Kevin Hill said. "We're going backwards. Make no mistake about it. I am surprised at the commissioners about this budget."

But commissioners say they cannot provide funding that they don't have.

"It's part of the growing pains we are facing here and tough times," Wake County Commissioner Lindy Brown said.

The school system had asked for $355.5 million – about $330 million to provide for the current level of services in programs and another $25 million to expand and start new programs, such as literary coaching, foreign language programs in elementary schools, services for academically gifted students and other initiatives.

Many of those new programs must go, board members said. The board is expected to meet again early next week to decide where to cut funding in existing programs.

"To have a system like we have that is a shining example in North Carolina and in the nation, and put that in jeopardy – I think that just amazes us all," school board member Patti Head said.

About $3 million of the $319 million will go into a reserve account and will only be available if the school system reaches its anticipated growth of 6,000 students next year.

At least one county commissioner has said the school system should return $6.5 million of the 2007-2008 budget that was meant to help offset costs related to a growing student population. But the school system overestimated by about 2,000 students.

In addition, the Board of Commissioners must approve any budget item change for the 2008-2009 calendar that is more than 15 percent of its projected spending.

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something2say, the $$ they got last year were wasted on converting schools to year round that WERE NOT WANTED OR NEEDED, are under enrolled and schools whose operational costs are 25-35% MORE, even though they've lied to us and told us that is not the case!!!

bs101fly
June 17, 2008 8:56 p.m.

dshell, you should educate yourself on what they've done with those bonds dollars from the past. it's not about biting a bullet, it's more about taking one if you're a parent in wake county WITH a child being shuffled around for diversity's sake. it's the gullible like you who've passed the bonds in the past. it's folks like me who are FED UP and will see to it the next bunch of them DO NOT PASS!!

bs101fly
June 17, 2008 8:54 p.m.

dshell99

what you are failing to see is that the school system is floundering. They are providing an extremely poor education to the children. The state keeps shifting around on standards in an attempt to hide how bade it is. In Wake County they are busing kids around in an attempt to hide the fact they have a large percentage of kids they can not teach. It is all spin to try to cover up just how bad they are doing. It is not entirely the systems fault, but a lot of it is. I do not care how much money you pour into this system. It will not improve. It is far too political and the only thing they are trying to do is keep the system alive. bs101fly - you are correct; unfortunately I can only vote against one incumbent. I have been amazed over the years to watch Wake County education deteriorate, yet many of the same board members get elected year after year. They have no budget hole. They manufactured it. NO MORE BONDS. NO MORE TAXES.

whatelseisnew
June 17, 2008 8:52 p.m.

Wake Forest Admin waste more money on needless staff than one can even amagine! Sadly most of that staff are educators who did not cut it out in the field!

Way to go County Commissioners, force the School Board to show you they care about the students by cutting back on non-essentials like admin staff, not teacher supplies or anything that would hurt students. The School Board should know that people are watching and want this board to spend wisely in crunch times! What happened to the extra money you got last year? Hm.... did you spend it all in the last months of school just to show it was spend? Hmm.... that doesn't happen does it????

something2say
June 17, 2008 8:47 p.m.

it's all very easy to solve this: bite the bullet and pass the bonds. pay the taxes. look to your community for other ways to enhance your child's education. libraries come to mind. as does the scouts, 4H, camp fire girls, YMCA, etc. and always keep this in mind: every penny you spend on your child's education is an investment in the future. the future that will take care of you and choose your nursing home. you want it to be a nice one, RIGHT?! yeah, that's what i thought. private education only helps those that can pay for it. i'm more then willing to tighten my belt and pay the taxes to make sure EVERY CHILD has a chance. i'm not gonna leave something like THIS to chance!

dshell99
June 17, 2008 8:15 p.m.