Agenda - 04-15-2003-5f - Laserfiche WebLink

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~_ !f yti-iu don't votes it's ~~o trams ~dc~n~t ca~~t. To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu. This story was printed from The Daily Tar Heel. Site URL: http~//www.dailytarheel.com. State: Schools' merger might cut costs by Mary Mcguirt Staff Writer Apri108, 2003 As local school officials and county commissioners explore the option of merging the two area school districts, they might be affected by a decision made by the N.C. State Board of Education last week. The State Board of Education has been studying ways to reduce funding formulas for central office administrators, and merging the city and county districts across the state could reduce spending. But in a statement released Wednesday, the board said there isn't a specific formula that guarantees merging would save money. Jane Worsham, executive director of the State Board of Education, said members from the N.C. School Boards Association and the N.C. Association of School Administration suggested merging to cut down central office staff. Orange County Commissioner Moses Carey, who made a proposal in January to merge Chapel Hill- Carrboro City Schools with Orange County Schools, said the state's decision should not affect the decision to merge locally. "The reason I proposed a merger was not to save money but to equalize funding for the two schools," he said. Carey also said merging the two districts would improve educational opportunities for all schools in the system, especially those in the county schools. The two area school systems are not sold on the merger idea, and officials appreciate the flexibility to make their own decision. Neil Pedersen, superintendent for the CHCCS, said merging usually is suggested to help solve problems with racial imbalance, small size and economic factors, but he added that none of these problems really apply to the two districts. "I would agree that saving is not a sound reason for merging," he said. 1 of 2 4/8/2003 4:13 PM