Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> issuances in the fall of 2015 and are based on an inventory of recently built units from <br /> January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2013. <br /> 9. Access to Full Report <br /> The draft SAPFOTAC report will be posted on the Orange County Planning Department's <br /> web site. A letter and the Executive Summary of the report will be sent to all SAPFO <br /> partners after this BOCC meeting advising them of the availability of the draft report and <br /> inviting comment. <br /> 10. Additional Information <br /> COVID Impacts <br /> Both school districts have experienced decreases in student membership due to <br /> students being withdrawn and enrolled in private schools with in-person learning or <br /> homeschooled. At this time, staff believes these are temporary impacts and a majority of <br /> these students will return when in-person learning commences. However, the loss of <br /> students has impacted the SAPFO 10-year projections by decreasing future student <br /> growth rates and service levels and pushing building capacity needs far beyond the 10- <br /> year projection period. Recognizing concerns with these projections not being <br /> constructive in planning for the future or when students return to the classroom, Orange <br /> County Planning staff drafted hypothetical 2020-21 student membership and grade level <br /> numbers in order to generate alternative 10-year student projections. Additional <br /> information can be found on page iii of the Executive Summary. <br /> Changes in Class Size <br /> In 2018, the North Carolina General Assembly unveiled House Bill 90, which allows for a <br /> phasing-in process to address the decrease in class size averages over the next three <br /> school years. Based on House Bill 90, average class sizes for kindergarten to third <br /> grade will face a decrease from 1:20 to 1:19 for the 2019-2020 school year, 1:19 to 1:18 <br /> for the 2020-2021 school year, and 1:18 to 1:17 for the 2021-2022 school year. <br /> Reductions in class size averages may create elementary school capacity issues for the <br /> 2024-25 school year. <br /> Pre-K Enrollment <br /> In recent years, Pre-K enrollment has been a topic of discussion with both school <br /> districts. However, SAPFO has not been amended to include Pre-K in the membership <br /> and capacity numbers. Therefore, Pre-K children are not included in the membership <br /> numbers reported. Discussions regarding Pre-K students and impacts have been <br /> ongoing, however, COVID priorities have been the focus over the last several months. <br /> Pre-K membership enrollment for both districts are contained in the Executive Summary <br /> of the report. <br /> Charter Schools <br /> Charter and private schools are not included as part of the SAPFO Annual Report and, <br /> as a result, their membership and capacity numbers are not formally monitored or <br /> included in future projections. However, the SAPFO Technical Advisory Committee does <br /> monitor charter and private schools and their effect on student enrollment in both school <br /> districts. Additional information regarding charter school enrollment is contained in the <br /> Executive Summary. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: Current student growth projections do not show capacity needs for <br /> additional schools in either the CHCCS District or OCS District during the 10-year projection <br /> period. <br />