Agenda - 09-05-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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12 1 Superintendent Forcella said the goal is to reach a two to one ratio for computers, which 2 is required for testing. He said the biggest issue is making sure all students have access. He 3 said there is also a community based program to buy computers for children who don't have 4 them. 5 Todd Lofriese said that $17,000 figure is specifically for exceptional children and may be 6 specialty technology for the hearing or visually impaired population. 7 Commissioner McKee he wanted to make sure that internet access is not exclusive to 8 the rural parts of the county. 9 Chair Jacobs said Congressman Price asked the districts to identify the consequences 10 of sequestration so that he could articulate its impact on the residents. 11 Commissioner Pelissier asked for an explanation of how teacher salaries decreased. 12 Todd Lofriese said these reductions relate to hiring teachers. He said the General 13 Assembly has frozen wages and the steps in wages. This has resulted in compression and 14 teachers have stayed at the same rate for years. He said this means that many seasoned and 15 new teachers have the same salary. 16 Commissioner Pelissier asked for an explanation of Northside and the high costs to 17 open a new school. 18 Todd Lofriese said there are a variety of operational costs from utilities to custodial and 19 cleaning support. He said the state also does not fully fund assistant principals in all schools. 20 The supplement pay for additional principal and assistant principal comes from local funds. He 21 said many teacher assistants are locally funded because the state does not fund 1:1 teacher 22 assistants in grades 1-3. He said local funding is also needed for support services, such as for 23 exceptional children program facilitators, social workers, and guidance counselors. 24 Chair Jacobs noted that Page 2.8 in CHCCS budget has the cost breakdown. 25 Commissioner Pelissier asked if these local funded positions pertain only to the 26 elementary level. 27 Todd Lofriese said the great majority are elementary staff. He said this budget is in line 28 the budget for the opening of Morris Grove Elementary. 29 Commissioner porosin clarified that the salary compression figures do not include the 30 local supplement. 31 Todd Lofriese said the county funds directly support the local supplement, so this is a 32 percentage on top of the salary, dependent on years of experience. 33 Chair Jacobs said the message he is hearing is, when it comes to public education, 34 North Carolina is becoming the stingiest state. 35 36 37 38 2. Other Discussion Items: Pre-K, Leqislative Update, and Culbreth Science 39 Winq Debt Financinq Scenarios 40 41 Pre-K discussion moved to end of ineeting. 42 43 Leqislative Update 44 Both school boards touched on this in their Power Point presentations. 45 Superintendent Rhodes said the greatest concern to the OCS board is the charter 46 schools legislation. He said this legislation will allow charter schools access to district budgets. 47 He said there have been court cases in which North Carolina School Districts were required to 48 pay out fund balance and other reserves to Charter Schools. He also mentioned the virtual 49 Charter School potentials.