Minutes - 19970506 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

• The funding for a student enrolled in a Charter School comes from the school district in which they reside. • If a student is currently being home schooled, their funding would come from the school system in which they reside and that system would see no reduction in attendance but would see a reduction in funding. • There was agreement that the State of North Carolina would require Charter Schools to locate in the district in which they applied. EQUITY IN SCHOOL FUNDING: Sally Kost, Orange County Budget Director, presented this report. She mentioned that the intent of this discussion was to review the definition of funding equity and determine whether or not changes should be made to the definition as well as to report to the Board of County Commissioners the current status of funding equity between the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools and the Orange County Schools. The definition that was agreed upon in 1989 was that "equity will have been accomplished when the total funding per student of one system is not more than four to five percent greater than that of the other system The definition of equity depends on the consideration of all major revenues to a school system, rather than only County-funded revenues." During discussion the following comments and statements were presented: • The difference in funding is due, in large part, to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro City School Systems district tax. • There are other formulas from the State which account for some other financial differences. • The current definition of equity was established in 1989 and could be changed if there was consensus to do that. • There is equity in the funding of County funds. • The Chapel Hill/Carrboro district tax has been decreased and the County tax has been increased to keep revenues moving toward equity. The participants agreed, by consensus, that there was not support to reduce or get rid of the district tax. CLOSURE ON SCHOOLS AND LAND USE COUNCIL: There was discussion concerning whether or not this group would have authority beyond communication, cooperation and coordination. Commissioner Gordon stated that the Council itself would discuss possible models for communication and coordination and then make a recommendation to the governing boards. It would be a purely advisory group. The impetus for creating this group is that all of the units of government have a piece of the responsibility for new schools. This would open up communication and coordination. There was also discussion about the ratio of members. It was mentioned that if the Council was created and found to be lacking direction that it could be disbanded. School board member Nick Didow stated that he felt satisfied that this would be a positive role for this Council as long as its role was limited to communication and coordination. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro School Board agreed to appoint two or three of their members to this Council at their next board meeting.