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t ~L'- JOhn , <br />Wage 3 <br />iQcvamber ~3, ~C09 <br />a~ <br />planning tC 1nCredSe the nuiiu~"Jer Gf C1dSSrOOmS, and primarily Cne <br />cf hi=ing mo_e teachers or shifting stude-:~ts to meet the <br />teacherlstudent ratios. The follcwin•g sentence of TI. C. Gen. <br />Stat. ~ 115C-47 supports this conclusion: "ln addition to <br />assuring that the requirements of G.S, 115C-301 are met, each <br />local board of education shall also have the duty to provide an <br />adequate number of classrooms to meet the requirements of that <br />statute,"` Furthermore, N,C. Gen, Stat, ~ 115C-?7(10) gives the <br />board 30 days to correct the problem after receiving <br />notification that the State will r.ot approve a waiver or <br />allotment adjustment. How can the local school board or its <br />superintendent be held responsible for arranging for new <br />classrooms to be constructed within a 30-day period? P9oreover, <br />while pt,C, Gan, Stat. 9 115C-521 does state that "[i]t shall be <br />the duty of local boards of education to provide classroom <br />facilities adequate to meet the requirements of G.S. 115C-47(10) <br />and 1150-301," it also states that "[l]ocal boards of education <br />shall submit their long-range plans for meeting school facility <br />needs to the State Board of Education by January 1, 1998, and <br />eve r; five years thereafter" and that °[i]n developing these <br />plans, local boards of education shall consider the costs and <br />feasibility of renovating old school buildings instead of <br />replacing them," <br />It may be convenient to conclude that new buildings and <br />additional classrooms are the solution to class size reduction <br />requirements. However, the General Assembly's direction is that <br />the school boards, in this annual allotment process, prioritize <br />short term administrative solutions, make personnel adjustments, <br />make cost-effective building renovations and make other class <br />room adjustments that provide immediate results for existing <br />students. The focus is not en new capital construction. <br />Very truly yours, <br />CQLEMe?N,~LEDHILL, HARGRAJE & PEEK, P.C. <br />rey/E. Gl~dhiil <br />GEGllsg <br />Enclosure <br />xc: Gonna Dean <br />Rod Visser <br />rat <br /> <br />See CI.C, Gen, Stat. ~ 115-97(10). <br />