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1 <br />2 <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 <br />6 <br />7 <br />8 <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 <br />12 <br />13 <br />14 <br />15 <br />16 <br />17 <br />18 <br />19 <br />20 <br />21 <br />22 <br />23 <br />24 <br />25 <br />26 <br />27 <br />28 <br />29 <br />30 <br />31 <br />32 <br />33 <br />34 <br />35 <br />36 <br />37 <br />38 <br />39 <br />40 <br />41 <br />42 <br />43 <br />44 <br />45 <br />46 <br />47 <br />48 <br />49 <br />50 <br />I <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said OCS felt it was important to bring this information forward as the <br />County approaches its budget season. <br />Commissioner McKee asked if there could be greater clarification regarding the charter <br />school funding gap. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said OCS is funded based on the previous year's enrollment of 617 <br />charter school students, when there are actually 768 students enrolled in charter schools this <br />year. He said there is a gap between the funding that OCS must find. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said there could be a gap again, and maybe it will be better to fund <br />charter students on a conservative projection, as the number of charter students continues to <br />increase. <br />Commissioner McKee said he would have assumed it would have increased the deficit <br />rather than decrease it. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said what is being taken out is what that gap feeds in. <br />Commissioner Price asked if OCS could indicate in its budget the positions that will not <br />earn the living wage of $15.00. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said he expects this would be included that in their budget presentation. <br />Commissioner Jacobs said the new federal tax law also pays for private school for <br />students, and asked if OCS is tracking all of these changes that are draining off the funds for <br />the public schools. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said OCS does track that data, and can present it to the Board of County <br />Commissioners. <br />Commissioner Rich asked if all of the charter school students attend charter schools in <br />Orange County. <br />Dr. Wirt said the vast majority goes to charter schools in Orange County. <br />Commissioner Rich asked if the same amount of money is sent to charter schools <br />outside of Orange County. <br />Rhonda Rath, OCS Chief Financial Officer, said yes. She said about 25% of OCS <br />students attend charter schools outside of Orange County. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said a charter school in another county receives more funding for an OCS <br />student, than it does for students from its own county. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the economic effects of homeschooling are known. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said the main economic effect is that OCS does not receive state or local <br />funding for students who are homeschooled. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said families that homeschool their children, still pay taxes, <br />and thus this should have a positive economic effect. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said the schools benefit from local taxes being paid by homeschooling <br />families, but the state does not provide any funding for these students. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said taxes are generated to pay for other kids. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said that is true for any tax paying resident without children in the school <br />system. <br />Chair Dorosin said thanked Dr. Todd Wirt and OCS for their foresight. <br />Chair Dorosin referred to the numbers at the top of chart, and said the OCS enrollment <br />is declining, but the overall amount of school -aged children is increasing, but more children are <br />going to charter schools. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said that is correct. <br />Chair Dorosin said he heard a rumor that the General Assembly will bring in the special <br />session, and potentially offer a resolution for the class size issue. <br />Dr. Todd Wirt said there are varying reports out of Raleigh. He said there are various <br />strategies being proposed: delay the mandated class size; provide additional funding stream to <br />pay for specials (art, music, PE); etc. <br />