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danger of being cut. Among those are the half-time gifted positions. This would seriously impact the academically gifted programs in every elementary schoal in Chapel Hill. She said that they only want to maintain the current level of services that are offered and the quality of the programs that they now have. Micaela Arneson is a 7t" grade student at Smith Middle School. She said that Chapel Hill's strength is its school systems because the schools are the largest part of the budget. She said that budget cuts would affect her classroom because teachers and assistants would be pulled in too many directions and she would not get the instruction and help she needs. She said that she and her fellow classmates are the future workforce of the County, State, and country. In order to be competitive and to represent the County well, they need funding and support. Debbie Piscitelli said that she was told to be here tonight because the County Commissioners needed to see and hear from her. She is a parent of OCS children. She said that she values quality education for her children. She and her husband together have 19 years of higher education and training. She asked if it was enough that she was there or if it became a comparison if more CHCCS parents came than OCS parents. She believes that good and fair decisions should be made based on sound data. She asked how much data was needed before it is realized that the OCS has actual needs that are not being met. She said that OCS needed the County Commissioners to keep their promise and fund these items because last year the savings account was used to add racial workers and Spanish teachers. She understands the complexities involved in funding them fully, but they cannot continue to collect data without implementing the recommendations of the studies that have been done. Carole Andrews is an OCS parent. She thanked Shirley Carraway far giving them Spanish teachers, because the test scores have shown that kids that have these courses early da better an SAT's. She wants to see these courses continue and she does not think they are something frivolous. She said that her rising middle-school daughter might not have the opportunity to take Spanish again until 8t" grade. She pointed out that middle school test scores are lower in OCS than in CHCCS. She said that Wane of the extra teachers they received last year were frivolous. She read a quote as follows: "What use is it if piled task on task and prolonging days of labor if at the close, the cheap object is left unattained?" Sue Russell is President of Child Care Services Association. She read a prepared statement. She said that their mission is to assure that affordable, accessible, high quality childcare is available for all young children and their families. She said that a family could expect to pay over $10,000 a year far childcare for a toddler in a four-star center, and more than $12,000 a year for a toddler in a five-star center. This is mare than in-state tuition at UNC. If a family makes only $40,000 a year, they must spend 25°~ of their gross income for childcare and cannot qualify far assistance. With the help of Orange County, Smart Start, UNC, the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and the United Way, Child Care Services was able to provide scholarships to 371 children living in Orange County last fiscal year. The median income of these families was $16,803. Last year, 27°~ of these children were from Latino families, and this year it is 33%. Sa far, they have helped 838 preschool children and their families locate childcare. It is critical to set a positive learning path far children in their first five years. The issue in Orange County is that mare families need help paying the cost of the high quality childcare. The needs are great, with 306 preschool and 96 schoal aged children living in the County whose families are currently on the DSS and Child Care Services combined scholarship waiting list. They are asking the County to consider making a larger investment through increasing the County's commitment to childcare subsidy. Ray Martin is the President of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Association of Educators. He presented some letters. He spoke about three promises the Association plans to make to the County Commissioners. The first one is support in the political courage to do what needs to be done to fully fund the schools. The second is to provide opportunities for more funding. He