Agenda - 11-16-2004-5o - Laserfiche WebLink

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., ,, DURHAM PU3~IC sc~-~oo~s Dr Ain ~ D~niinger, S~~i,r~~riniend~nt November 2, 2004 Ms. Gail M. Heath, Chair Durham Public Schools Board ofEducation 5 Old Hope Creels Path Durham, NC 27707 Ms. Ellen W. Recldrow, Chair Durham County Board of Comrnissioners 200 E. Main Street 2n`~ Ploor, Old Courthouse Durham, NC 27701 Dear Gail and Ellen: _~ ~ rv r~-.o it ;-• ~i r~ci ~.,,;,,~~ ii ~!i NOV 2 2004 ~.,'" This letter follows our many recent conversations about the State budgeting trend of cutting resources without a corresponding reduction in state mandated programs. Since the most recent downturn in the U. S. economy in 2001, this trend has escalated at an alarming rate. Attached to this letter is a document that provides recent examples of increased costs that Durham Public Schools had to absorb in order to operate and meet current state regulations. It is important to note that over the last several years, as a percent of the total state budget, the educational resources available for K-12 education have continued to decrease (see Attaclvnent A). A few of the more critical areas of underfunding concern state teacher allocations and the elementary class-size r°eduction mandated by the Governor acid N.C. General Assembly. This initiative has resulted in cutting our overall resources while requiring the district to continue to meet state class-size requirements. This information is swmmarized in the "Nwnber of Allotted State Teachers" and "State Discretionary Cut" sections. Also summarized in the "Other State Staffing" section is the impact of the state increasing such categories as teacher assistants and non-instructional support for the minimal salary increases. This has resulted in fewer dollars per ADM to the district each year, and thus, fewer positions in these critical needs areas that support our students. Other significant areas that lack adequate resources are textbooks and instructional supplies. There have been no real inflationary increases by the General Assembly in these line items for several years.. The funding per ADM does not come close to the true cost of the required instructional materials and supplies needed in order to adequately teach the curriculum prescribed by the state's Standard Course of Study. "Salary and Benefit Increases" outline the impact on local funds, and "Transportation Costs" and "Capital Outlay" also summarize areas that affect our budget. We have also included a list of GOALS for 20Q7 * ,~_ ~ i Chu I r ~o ~ lu ei~ ~,rr i~r rtly + 9 r~in~G~~ i tl~ -~~!~i ~ i-'d ~;~-~~ ~~ *n py - ~ ~ ~. ~ I i ~ C osin9'~ ~ / i