More than 1 billion dollars Can't Solve the state's Education Budget Woes

The U.S Secretary of Education announced more than 1 billion dollars is coming to North Carolina to help with education reform and save teaching jobs. The money comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state Department of Public Instruction says the money will make up for cuts that have already been made, but won’t prevent more cuts from hitting the schools hard next year. The state House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education has a list of what could go.

No Board of Education wants to see their budgets cut, but it seems the cuts are coming and are going to hit hard. As much as 11 percent could be cut in the coming school year.

State Board of Education Chairman and CEO Bill Harrison along with state Superintendent June Atkinson expressed their stand saying: "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."

So how deep are the proposed cuts? Based on 2007-2008 DPI statistics, there were 97,676 teachers in North Carolina. The subcommittee's draft calls for there to be 6,005 fewer teachers; increasing class size and teacher allotment by 2 per grade.

The proposal also calls for more than 5000 fewer teacher assistants, counselors, media specialists, social workers, and assistant principals.

But, perhaps the most drastic of the proposed changes is cutting the school year for students. Right now they're in class for 180 days, but the proposal would reduce the 2009-2010 school year by five days, and ten days the following year.

Governor Bev Perdue doesn't think that's a good idea. She tells Nine On Your Side, "That's the wrong thing to do for North Carolina, other countries have their children going to school much longer and much more arduous curriculum than we do."

And while the Governor said today that it is too soon to worry, those words don't give any comfort to education officials, who say action needs to be taken now to prevent the proposed cuts from becoming a reality.

Some school districts in the East have started contacting their legislators about these cuts based on DPI recommendations. For example, Lenoir County Schools tells Nine On Your Side, they're planning on contacting Representatives Van Braxton, William Wainwright and Senator Charles Albertson.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provided us the following statement. Below the statement are some details regarding the proposed cuts the House Appropriations Subcommittee is making.

Statement from State Board of Education Chairman and CEO Bill Harrison and State Superintendent June Atkinson on potential budget cuts to education:

"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.