Agenda - 11-06-2014 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

I Chair Halkiotis said this is a great opportunity to set up a group to examine this issue, 2 and he thinks Durham Tech Orange County campus is an important piece to the solution. He 3 suggested an expanded Middle College program. 4 Chair Bedford said CHCCS currently sends 12 students to the Durham Middle College 5 Campus, but transportation is a big issue. She said if there were facilities at the Orange County 6 site, enrollment would increase in a positive way. 7 Chair Jacobs said he is hearing that both school districts are willing to work with Durham 8 Tech to come up with ideas. 9 Chair Halkiotis said he would bring this back to the board for discussion, and he does 10 not see why it would not be supported. 11 Chair Jacobs said if this goes forward, a group could be populated by school board 12 members, staff, Durham Tech representatives, and one or two Commissioners. 13 Commissioner Dorosin said he would volunteer for this. 14 Commissioner McKee said he is glad to see willingness to move forward with this. 15 Chair Jacobs suggested that neighboring school boards might also be asked to 16 participate in the future. 17 Commissioner Price echoed what Penny Gluck said. She said there have been 18 discussions about the success seen in Middle College and how this might be expanded to the 19 Orange County campus. She said the numbers are increasing for students that graduate from 20 Durham Tech and go on to a four year college. 21 Chair Jacobs said this might be a more fruitful place to look to bring in other school 22 districts. 23 24 4. Update on Living Wage — Affirming the Shared Goal 25 Chair Jacobs said Orange County recently raised their living wage, and this was 26 discussed at the school collaboration meeting. He said this is outlined on the back of 27 attachment 2a, page 4. 28 Interim Superintendent Del Burns said included in their May budget request by OCS was 29 a business case addressing the rate of pay for identified employees to reach the living wage 30 identified by Orange County government. He said the amount to fund this is $75,000, and this 31 will be brought forward in the proposed budget. 32 Tom Forcella said CHCCS had a study done on salaries for classified employees. 33 Todd Lofrese said there have been several years with no increase for classified 34 employees. He said this issue has been monitored, and in the past 15 years classified 35 employees have averaged 1.8 percent annually from the state, which is not keeping up with 36 inflation. He said this year all classified employees were provided with at least a 3 percent 37 increase in pay. 38 Todd Lofrese said the new classified employee study has just been completed and 39 results are being analyzed. He said there is a placeholder in the salary budget to implement 40 phase 1 of the adjustments, and then the balance will be discussed as part of the budget 41 process for next year. He said it is clear that this is an issue that will have to be addressed 42 locally. 43 Chair Jacobs asked if the CHCCS goal will be to pay the County living wage. 44 Todd Lofrese said that is an aspiration they should all seek. 45 Chair Jacobs said Orange County just upped the living wage to $12.77. He asked if this 46 will be the target for OCS. 47 Interim Superintendent Del Burns said that will be the target. 48 Commissioner Dorosin asked Todd Lofrese which employees CHCCS are being paid 49 below this living wage. 50 Todd Lofrese said he will get that information.