Minutes 04-28-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Del Burns said OCS is requesting an increase in per pupil funding of$81, for this coming fiscal year. He said this will allow continued funding for Safe Havens, and deferred maintenance in the Local At-Risk. Commissioner Dorosin extended his personal thanks to Del Burns for his work in Orange County and said he is an invaluable asset to students throughout the state. Commissioner Price asked what would happen if the Driver's Education program was not funded. Del Burns said by Statute, schools must include funding in their current expense budgets for Driver's Education, whether there are funds or not. He said OCS is currently spending $135,000 and around $40 per student to fund this. He said if State funding is cut, the families will not see an increase is the fee; rather the school system will absorb the cost. Chair McKee asked if John Roberts had heard any update from Raleigh regarding this bill. John Roberts said no. Commissioner Dorosin asked if under both budget scenarios, seven teaching positions will be eliminated. Del Burns said yes, but based on the current allotment formula, such a change should not affect class size. He said this decrease in teachers would be handled through attrition. Commissioner Dorosin asked if there was a known reason for the decline in enrollment. Del Burns said a new Charter School opened last year, which took away about 125 students. He said the enrollment projection given by the State last year was likely over projected. He said this year DPI is adjusting numbers for next year based on the real numbers from this year. Del Burns said parents have choices regarding schooling, which will cause enrollment to continue to be a challenge. He said the goal is to provide the best schools possible in OCS, so that parents will want to send their children. Commissioner Burroughs asked if growth is expected, just not at the rate projected by the State. She said the reality is that the District is not losing students, but rather it is not growing as quickly as the State expected. Del Burns said yes and no. He said growth exists in school aged students in Orange County. He said the question is whether these children are attending public schools. He said last year not as many children came to public schools. He said both DPI and school systems are finding it very difficult to accurately project numbers due to the variety of educational options available to parents. Del Burns said there is a current campaign for Virtual Charter Schools in North Carolina. He said such schools would not only have an impact on the number of students enrolled in public schools; but would also have an economic impact. He said schools systems will have to pay a portion of the County appropriation to that Charter School for any Home Schooled child that enrolls. He said the payment of this portion of the appropriation would be a straight net loss. He said the challenge is to make OCS the first choice for families. Commissioner Rich asked if it is known from which grades the projected 172 fewer students come. Del Burns said he does not have that information. He said this year the majority of the 125 students that were lost to the new Charter school were elementary aged children. He said it is his experience that if children leave the traditional public schools, it is during Elementary School, and as they age children tend to migrate back into the Public Schools by High School. Commissioner Rich asked if the school systems are required to include Charter Students into sports events. Del Burns said no. He said to participate in OCS extra-curricular activities one must be enrolled in OCS. He added this standard is also true for home schooled and virtual students. Chair Kelly said there is currently a bill proposing that public schools be required to allow charter students to participate.