Minutes 09-30-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Loss of teacher positions, teacher assistant positions, administrative positions, supplies, and support Future Budget Development • Focused on our strategic plan • Better starting point • Expect more pressure from future state reductions — Enrollment growth — Teacher assistants — Driver education • Potential for barriers with future revenues • Mindful of the older school facility needs • Continued collaboration and information sharing with County Commissioners and OCS Todd Lofrese referred to a spreadsheet outlining the state allotment formulas. He noted that the 2012-13 allotment was 1 teacher for every 21.6 students, and budget reductions changed this to 23.4 students in 2013-14. He said the teacher assistant (TA) funding is heading in the wrong direction, and he noted that funding for this has been reduced from $1,182 per student to $939 in 2013-14. Commissioner porosin asked for more specific information about salary supplements and how Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) compares with Orange County Schools (OCS) and Durham County. Todd Lofrese said CHCCS has a competitive salary supplement that ranges from 12 percent to 25 percent, based on years of experience. He said the district is looking to move away from this longevity model. He believes CHCCS may be a bit higher than OCS in this area. He said the district is competing with Wake County Schools and may still have a slight edge over them. He discussed the case of a teacher from Mississippi who moved here and took a $10,000 pay cut, even after their supplement was given. He said this does not even factor in the cost of living difference. He said she had masters pay as well. He said there are other factors such as tenure that make recruitment difficult. Commissioner porosin asked if Todd Lofriese would say that CHCCS is competitive within the state. Todd Lofrese said yes, CHCCS is competitive within the state, but North Carolina does not produce enough teachers to meet the needs of the state, so it is necessary to recruit from other states. He said Michigan used to be a recruiting source due to an excess of candidates, but CHCCS is now unable to recruit there due to an inability to attract candidates because of pay. Commissioner porosin said he is trying to get a picture of the specific local challenges. He said the state challenges affect everyone, but he would like a picture of particular local strategies that are working well or need to be revisited. Todd Lofrese said the signing bonuses were a stop gap measure, and these may be done again next year. He said the idea of changing their model to allow teachers to move up more quickly from a personal, professional and financial perspective is another strategy that may help. Tom Forcella said CHCCS is below both Durham and Wake County in terms of supplement, so that is the rationale for looking at the system and the model. Commissioner Price asked how the cuts in custodial services will affect quality in the schools.