Minutes - 06-07-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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recommended per pupil amount is $2,395. This number addresses three major areas -debt service, teacher pay increases, and the increase in the number of new students. The Orange County school system received 94.1 °l° of their requested amount, based an the Manager's recommendation. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system received 96°~ of their requested amount, based on the Manager's recommendation. The total recommended funding far education is 53.9 million dollars, and the percentage of the general fund is 49.4%. He said that one of the points of decision and discussion on the part of the County Commissioners is how much of the total general fund can go toward any one function, including education. The Commissioners asked the Manager to pursue a target of 48.1 % of the total general fund, but he felt that this could not be achieved based on the number of new students and the expected increases in teacher pay, etc. He summarized the 'blue sheet' in the agenda packet far the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools current expense appropriation. Commissioner Brown made reference to the per pupil allocation and said that the district revenue far the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools generates $10,000,000, but that is not made part of the per pupil amount. She asked why the $10,000,000 was not part of the per pupil number. John Link said that the per pupil amount is the same for both school systems. When the district tax is addressed, part of this amount is added to the per pupil amount allocated. b. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board Presentation Elizabeth Carter, Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, thanked the County Commissioners for what they do for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. She said that the school board, of course, is not satisfied with the allocation. She summarized the process they follow in developing their budget. The school board reviews the requests that are received and cut wherever possible. She asked the Commissioners to give some consideration to the original recommended budget from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. She said that she personally supports the one cent for affordable housing and also the needs of the senior citizens. She supports additional soccer fields and realizes that there are other needs in the County. Superintendent Neil Pedersen highlighted the system's record of achievement as listed in the handout, including some national recognition for accomplishments. He summarized the reductions that were made before the budget was presented to the Commissioners. The total reductions were $714,726. He painted out that the total local budget for the school system was up 6.78% on aper-student basis, and this is the lowest that it has been in the last four years. Related to the state mandate of increased teacher salaries, he clarified why the school system said 8°~ and the Governor said 6.5°I°. He said that 6.5% was the average increase that is projected by the state. He said that the increments were larger in school districts that have younger, less experienced teacher populations. These schools districts have been advised to budget more than the 6.5%. He summarized some of the specific items that were in the requested budget such as compensation, teacher supplements, proficiency standards and minority student achievement, technology, curriculum enhancement, etc. In regards to reductions and savings, he said that they were being a little aggressive with charter schools in the sense that they are not providing for any additional enrollment. They did appropriate $900,000 from their fund balance. He made reference to the article that was distributed that was in the News and Observer about a teacher in Chatham County and her financial struggles. c. Board of County CommissionerslChapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board dialogue Commissioner Halkiotis said that he is disappointed in County government and the situation we find ourselves in. He said that we missed something about the State mandate of increased teacher salaries. He noted that the Department of Public Instruction has been wrong in their predictions of students. He said that he supports the one cent for affordable housing and he supports both the budgets as presented by the two school systems. He would like to see how a webmaster could be shared with the two school systems, County government, etc. He said that a webmaster would not be a full-time job for just one agency. He made reference to charter schools and Neil Pedersen said that they were paying for 117 students. He encourages joint cooperation with County government and other agencies. Commissioner Brown supports cooperative and joint collaboration with positions that could work for the County and the municipalities.