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comment was made by one of the state statisticians about sub-groups (low-income, Black, Hispanic) and <br />that the students that are counting the mast are the ones that will have the most difficulty. This person said <br />that the intent of the law was to have the most difficult students to be counted the most times. <br />Chair Jacobs made reference to the comment about penalizing the fast-growing and diverse <br />schools and said that this is taking place at the same time as the trend of re-segregation of schools <br />statewide. He asked what the impact would be of this law in an increasingly segregated school situation. <br />Shirley Carraway said that you would have fewer groups and you probably would meet the adequate yearly <br />progress standard. If the re-segregation means that there are more law-income and more special needs <br />students, then the school probably would not meet the standards. <br />Commissioner Brown made reference to transporting a child to a preferred school and asked if it <br />was in or out of district. Shirley Carraway said that if the school was in the district, the parent could request <br />that the child be moved. <br />Commissioner Brown said that the law is being packaged as something good, but it is also an <br />insult to public education. She said that the school systems do an excellent jab in educating the children. <br />She asked what more the law requires them to do. Shirley Carraway said that the law says that in many <br />states, that school systems were hiding children when they looked at larger groups of students and the <br />successful children were pulling the weight for the students that were not successful. This new law requires <br />them to look at every single group and says that the school is not good if all of the groups are not meeting <br />the standard. <br />Commissioner Brown asked who is watching over this program and how the State monitors it. <br />Shirley Carraway said that each state had to write a plan and the federal government had to approve it. <br />North Carolina has tried to mesh the law with the ABC's. <br />Commissioner Brown asked about the federal funding and how it would work. Shirley Carraway <br />said that the funding would be cut if the school system said that they would not adhere to the law. The <br />sanction will limit what you can do with the money and require that you do other things. <br />Commissioner Gordon made reference to the sanctions and asked if there was a formula and if <br />the money was encumbered if the school was sanctioned. Shirley Carraway said yes. She said that in <br />North Carolina you are awarded funds for students who are at-risk. As students become more proficient, <br />the amount of money received decreases. <br />Commissioner Gordon said that the sanctions are not a very effective strategy because it is <br />negative. She asked how the federal administration could be persuaded to allow more incentive and <br />flexibility. Shirley Carraway said that the issue of having all students be successful is good, but the problem <br />is how this is structured. <br />Commissioner Halkiotis said that he and Chair Jacobs are representing the County <br />Commissioners on the legislative agenda and this could be a wake-up call. He said that there will be some <br />unfunded mandates and then the school districts will run to the Board of County Commissioners for more <br />money. He said that there has never been a society where 100°~ proficiency was ever achieved by <br />anybody. He thinks it is totally insane. <br />Chair Jacobs asked that both school systems continue to share the concerns with the Board of <br />County Commissioners about this issue. <br />b. Workforce Development Board Annual Report <br />The Board received the annual program report prepared by the Regional Partnership Local Area <br />on Workforce Investment Act Programs, including information on expenditures on all contractor's programs, <br />number of participants served, articles on the JobLink Career Centers, and program success stories (the <br />Skills Development Center is a state chartered JobLink Center). <br />Chair Jacobs said that the Board regrets the passing of Mary Coble. It is clear that she was very <br />much loved and an appreciated member. <br />Gwen Price, with the Orange County Department of Social Services, presented the annual report <br />on the Workforce Investment Act Expenditures and Services. She said that this partnership has oversight <br />for Workforce Investment Act services for Randolph, Alamance, and Orange Counties. This annual report <br />is for July 1, 2002 -June 30, 2003. This act is to help people enhance their skills and return to the labor <br />force. The Title 1 expenditures assist youth, adults, and dislocated workers in the three-county area. The <br />