Raleigh, N.C. — The Wake County Board of Education wants to move forward with a proposal to share control of area schools.

School board members told the county Board of Commissioners Monday that they want to start hammering out details of a plan that would turn school construction and maintenance over to the commissioners in exchange for increased county funding to the school district.

District administrators said they need more money to hire teachers and expand programs designed to raise the graduation rate. A tentative county budget funds only a third of the $54 million funding increase requested by the district.

Commissioners didn't move Monday to adopt any of three proposed spending plans. School funding and the size of a proposed property tax hike were the main sticking points.

Still, the commissioners said they were pleased with the school board's acceptance of the power-sharing proposal. The two boards have had an often-acrimonious relationship in recent years.