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21 <br /> <br />Commissioner Greene said it had been her understanding that SAPFO was mandatory, <br />but has never pulled the gun on developers. She said it is her understanding that CHCCS <br />wants to have a broader range of incomes represented in the pre-K. <br />Commissioner Bedford said Headstart requires slots for the kids with the greater needs. <br />John Roberts said the State does not define universal pre-K. He said the ordinance is in <br />line with what he has previously advised the Board to do, and that is if the Board does include <br />pre-K students, then it should amend the ordinance. He read the following from page 19 of the <br />abstract item: Certificate of Adequacy of Public School Facilities <br /> <br />a.) Subject to the remaining provisions of this [article], no approval under this <br />ordinance of a subdivision preliminary plat, minor subdivision final plat, site plan, <br />or conditional or special use permit for residential development shall become <br />effective unless and until a Certificate of Adequacy of Public Schools Facilities <br />(CAPS) for the project has been issued by the School District. <br /> <br />Commissioner McKee said it his understanding that universal pre-K would be open to <br />any child in Orange County, just like K-12. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said he agreed, and drawing a line based on means seems to <br />go against the spirit of public education. <br />Commissioner Price said there are different funding streams for various pre-K <br />programs. She said there are some slots for people who have means to pay, and there are <br />other slots for those with lesser income, or those children with specific needs. She said <br />Durham uses a sliding scale. She said many families who can pay for private pre-K do so, and <br />thus do not use the public pre-K. <br />Commissioner Dorosin said if the BOCC adds pre-K to the numbers, given the issues <br />raised by Travis Myren in the presentation, the BOCC could raise the percentage capacity in <br />the statute for elementary schools. <br />Chair Rich asked if this would buy the County many years. <br />Travis Myren said the 267 pre-K students are 5% of total capacity, and they would need <br />to add the 5% to the total capacity, which is certainly an option to explore. He referred back to <br />the recommendations, and whether the BOCC wants to pursue an amendment or create a <br />different tracking tool. <br />Commissioner Greene asked if there is a suggested amendment for the BOCC to <br />consider, and would it incorporate pre-K and make it mandatory. She said she thought the <br />desire was to avoid that. <br />John Roberts said that is correct. He said if pre-K numbers are included, he would <br />recommend that the Board amend the ordinance so that CAPS no longer determines if a <br />developer can build. He said the ordinance can remain as a planning tool. <br />Commissioner McKee asked if the Board is talking about pre-K at the mandated level, <br />the existing level, the waiting list level, or the universal level. He said he is confused. <br />Chair Rich said the agenda item is not addressing whether or not the BOCC wants to <br />create universal pre-K. She said this item is addressing the issue, which the schools brought to <br />the BOCC, that pre-K students have never been included, and it is a flaw in SAPFO. She said <br />the unfunded K-3 mandate from the State will require more classrooms, and if pre-K students <br />are filling up the classrooms that are needed to meet the K-3 mandates, what will be done with <br />the pre-K students. She said the question is whether to include the pre-K students in the <br />SAPFO numbers. <br />Commissioner McKee from his perspective the existing pre-K numbers should be <br />included now. <br />Chair Rich said universal pre-K does not have to all be housed in public schools.