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9 <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked if the goal of the Wake County Schools is to reach the <br /> national average in teacher salary in the next five years. <br /> Todd LoFrese said yes. <br /> Commissioner Jacobs asked if CHCCS considered doing something similar, to allow <br /> time for the legislature to change and release some of the burden on Orange County. <br /> Todd LoFrese said the long-term cost of settling on third or fourth choice teachers is <br /> unknown. He said the action taken in the fall was step one in a 5-year plan for Wake County. <br /> He said CHCCS is trying to catch up with Wake County; but if Wake County keeps moving <br /> forward, then the gap continues to increase. <br /> Pat Heinrich said he echoed Todd LoFrese's comments. He said it is already difficult to <br /> fill some of the Exceptional Children (EC) and elementary positions. He said this problem <br /> would only increase if CHCCS continues to be behind Wake County. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked if in CHCCS, unlike Wake County, there is not going to <br /> be any differentials for EC teachers. <br /> Todd LoFrese said signing bonuses are offered for high need teaching areas, such as <br /> math, science and EC. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin asked if the number of participants that the $50,000 program <br /> can cover is known. <br /> Todd LoFrese said ten teachers over two years. <br /> Commissioner Price said with the existing schedule, a teacher with 20 years of <br /> experience does better is CHCCS than Wake County. She asked if this will be the same with <br /> the new system. <br /> Todd LoFrese said if a teacher moves through the Advance program at a reasonable <br /> pace, that teacher would be at 20-25%; which makes up the difference. He said a teacher that <br /> moves through the Advance system quickly could earn a higher salary faster than under the <br /> current model. <br /> Chair McKee asked if recruiting quality teachers is a problem across the State. He said <br /> he understands that Wake County is experiencing these same problems. <br /> Tom Forcella said Wake County did not have their new salary schedule in place during <br /> recruitment season last spring. <br /> Chair Barrett said Wake County has 157,000 students, so it will always be recruiting, <br /> and have more openings at any given time than CHCCS, and thus more opportunities. <br /> Commissioner Dorosin said CHCCS is proposing is 2.66% tax increase, and OCS is <br /> proposing a 2.26% tax increase. He asked if the BOEs sense that Orange County residents <br /> will pay more for schools. He said this is a lot to ask of the residents. <br /> Steve Halkiotis said that is a decision the Board of County Commissioners has to make, <br /> and the BOE are just asking for what the children need. <br /> Rani Dasi said these requests have been communicated to the community, and it <br /> seems the community will lend its support. <br /> Chair McKee said CHCCS has moved forward with the plan to raise teacher <br /> supplements, and asked if there is a fall back plan if the BOCC does not honor all of the <br /> requests. <br /> Chair Barrett said if the topic of cuts is greatly discussed, employees get nervous and <br /> may look for other jobs. He said if the requests are not fully funded, then hard decisions will <br /> have to be made going forward. <br /> Chair McKee said deciding about the supplement before the Board of County <br /> Commissioners has an opportunity to discuss it makes things difficult. <br /> Pat Heinrich said the CHCCS BOE did conclude that if the requests are not fully <br /> funded, there will have to be a dramatic shift in how the education is delivered to the children. <br />