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expansion of local option sales taxes and a statewide bond referendum did not <br />pass but is eligible for short session. <br />PE -2: Seek legislation to repeal the statutory authority under N.C. Gen. Stat. 1 15C- 431(c) <br />that allows local school boards to file suit against a county board of commissioners over <br />county appropriations for education. <br />S531 /H305 amended the statute that establishes the dispute resolution process <br />for boards of county commissioners and boards of education. S531 passed the <br />Senate with bipartisan support but was not heard in the House and is eligible for <br />short session. A provision prohibiting school board lawsuits also appeared in the <br />Senate version of the budget, but did not make it through the budget <br />conference process. The NCGA's Program Evaluation Division completed a study <br />on this issue, but the findings are not yet public. <br />PE -3: Support legislation to provide for an overall increase of funding based on average <br />daily memberships outside of the current formula system. <br />• New approaches to school funding formulas were not introduced in legislation or <br />in the final state budget. The budget does set out a task force to study the <br />current school funding allotment and distribution methods and explore possible <br />improvements. <br />PE -4: Support legislation providing flexibility to align K- 12'and community college <br />calendar <br />• One statewide bill, H375, granting local boards of education the ability to align <br />school start dates with that of a community college serving the county, was <br />passed by the House but saw no action in the Senate. Legislation establishing a <br />pilot program authorizing school calendar flexibility for 20 school districts, H389, <br />also was passed by the House and included in the House budget. The Senate <br />took no action on H389 and the final budget did not include the language. Both <br />H375 and H389 remain eligible for consideration in 2018. Additionally, dozens of <br />local bills granting local calendar flexibility were introduced during the 2017 <br />session, but none saw action by the General Assembly. <br />Tax and Finance <br />Approved Goals <br />TF -1: Support efforts to preserve and expand the existing local revenue base of <br />counties, and oppose efforts to divert fees or taxes currently allocated to the counties <br />to the state. Oppose efforts to erode existing county revenue streams and authorize <br />local option revenue sources already given to any other jurisdiction. <br />• H437, S166 and H333 were all aimed at expanding local revenue flexibility. H333 <br />passed the House, but the Senate was unwilling to consider any of the bills. All <br />are eligible for short session <br />