Minutes 04-28-2020 Virtual Joint Meeting w-Schools

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14 • A Social and Emotional Learning Coordinator • A Director of Literacy • Two Equity facilitators • Four Maintenance Technicians We believe the budget presented for your consideration aligns with the Orange County Schools Strategic Plan and our committed focus of ensuring every student is successful and college and career ready. We look forward to the year ahead and getting our students and staff transitioned back to the normal instructional environment. As we begin looking forward to the 2020-2021 school year, we would be remiss to not take the opportunity to spend some time looking back on the wonderful things that have occurred during the 2019 -2020 school year. Orange County Commissioners approved a $4,352.25 per student funding for 8,134 Orange County School students which represented a total funding appropriation of $35,401,202. This equated to a $187.25 per student increase in funding over the 2018-2019 school year. As a result, Orange County Schools received funding to support initiatives such as: • Universal Breakfast in every elementary school which allows every elementary student to receive a breakfast free of charge every day school is in session. Grab and go options are also provided to students that may not choose to receive a hot breakfast. • State mandated Benefit and Salary increases for employees. A $150 per employee increase was realized in hospital insurance premiums as well as more than a 1.0% increase in the employer portion of retirement benefits. • Equity professional development throughout the district to allow for continued work in raising awareness of equity issues that may prevent students from feeling welcomed and heard. Commissioners recognized and supported the Equity initiative presented by both Orange County Schools and Chapel-Hill Carrboro City Schools by allocating one time funding of $260,000 towards Foundational Equity Training for both districts. Beginning in October, a District Equity Leadership Team (DELT) was formed to examine district policies, practices, programs, structures, climate and culture to identify barriers to equity and excellence. Soon thereafter, the Leadership for Racial Equity Development (LEADS) trainings were conducted. These trainings focused on deepening understanding of institutionalized racism and its impact on student learning, as well as providing support for leading systemic equity transformation initiatives in the district and schools. Throughout this time, additional staff equity training was also occurring. Examples include; Racial Equity Institute (REI) Groundwater training, Culturally Responsive Customer Service, and Equitable, Culturally Responsive and Relevant Learning Environments. Identifying and eliminating inequities in access to opportunity and academic barriers remains a priority as we begin looking ahead to the 2020-2021 school year. As planning began for the 2020-2021 academic year, little did we know the crisis that was ahead for not only North Carolina but the Nation.