March 4, 2010

Top News

Board Approves Community-based School Assignment Directive

At its meeting on March 2, the Board of Education gave first reading approval to a "Resolution Establishing Board Directive for Community-based School Assignments."

The resolution calls for staff to develop a zone-based assignment model during the next nine to 15 months with input from community stakeholders. Prior to June 30, 2010, the Department of Growth and Planning, Instructional Services Division and Department of Evaluation and Research will develop short-term and long-term transition plans with benchmarks.

The resolution is to be voted on by the board for final approval at its March 23 meeting.

Board Approves New Calendar for Four Schools

The calendar for three schools will change for the 2010-11 school year, and the new Mills Park Middle School will open for 2010-11 on the traditional calendar after the Board of Education voted for the changes at its March 2 meeting.

The board acted on a motion from member Deborah Prickett to change Leesville Road Middle, Leesville Road Elementary and Mills Park Elementary to the traditional calendar and to open the new Mills Park Middle on the traditional calendar.

The board action followed a series of five community engagement meetings to hear from parents and community members, as well as surveys of families and staff. The board initiated the action December 1, 2009, when it passed a “Resolution To Ensure Parental Choice Regarding Year-Round Schools.”

The school board approved the calendar application options for the four schools.  The multi-track, year-round calendar option for Leesville Road Elementary will be Sycamore Creek Elementary. For Leesville Road Middle, the multi-track, year-round option will be Durant Road Middle. For Mills Park Elementary, the multi-track, year-round option will be Alston Ridge Elementary and Highcroft Elementary. For Mills Park Middle, the multi-track, year-round option will be East Cary Middle and Salem Middle.

WCPSS Growth and Planning staff is evaluating the changes that may be necessary to the application schedule to accommodate families at these schools, and these changes will be announced early next week.

Superintendent’s Budget Cuts Central Services Jobs

For the second year in a row, Superintendent Del Burns presented a school budget with severe cuts as school enrollment continues to grow.

School enrollment is expected to increase by 3,800 students for 2010-11, and the school system will be opening four new schools: Heritage High, Holly Grove Middle, Mills Park Middle and Alston Ridge Elementary.

The continued national economic downturn has affected state and local governments and has resulted in a series of actions cutting school funding: a $35 million reduction in state funding, $15.7 million in budget reversions returned to the state and county, and the state furlough that meant all WCPSS employees lost one-half of one percent of annual salary.

WCPSS Chief Business Officer David Neter says there will be increased costs and decreased revenue for 2010-11.

Increased local costs will include $2.5 million for hiring school-based employees for the additional students and schools. Additional costs include $3.1 million for retirement benefits, $1 million for health care and $650,000 to maintain existing teacher supplemental pay and extra duty pay schedules.

Decreased revenues include an $8.1 million discretionary budget reduction from the state and a $6 million decline in local revenue.

Anticipating these budget difficulties, Superintendent Burns directed staff in November 2009 to develop plans for reducing Central Services budgets by more than $20 million.

"We’re focusing on reductions in Central Services staff and funding to protect our classrooms," Dr. Burns said today. "We'll be looking at personnel in two ways. Because of the freeze we have had in place for more than a year, we do have some vacant positions and some of those will be eliminated from the budget. In addition, we are going to have a substantial number of positions that are filled that will require a Reduction in Force. We will have fewer people in Central Services."

The Central Services staff reductions will include eliminating the jobs of approximately 83 current employees as well as the elimination of 23.5 vacant positions. School Board Policies 3430 and 4430 describe the Reduction in Force policy. There are significant reductions in Central Services non-personnel expenses also. Reductions in spending include $7 million in Facilities Services, $2.5 million in Technology Services and $1.1 million in Instructional Services.

Neter noted several trends in the school budget. For a second year in a row, the amount of local funding per student is decreasing -- in 2010-11 by $63 per student and in 2009-10 by $37 per student. The percentage of state funding in the school system's operating budget will drop to 56 percent this year from 62 percent last year. And nearly nine out of every 10 operating budget dollars will be spent in the schools.

The budget is posted on www.wcpss.net and board members' questions and staff responses will be posted online during the board review process.

Next steps include the school board's work sessions, a public hearing on the budget, and then final adoption of a budget recommendation to the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

More News

Board Approves Wilburn Elementary Construction Documents

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved the construction documents and authorized staff to advertise for construction of Wilburn Elementary School. After reallocation of funds (subject to Board of Commissioners approval), funding will be available from the total project budget of $20,869,696, of which $20,829,738 is from CIP 2006 and $39,958 is from CIP 2006 Offsite Improvements.

Board Approves Marine JROTC for Garner High

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education authorized Garner Magnet High School to submit an application to establish a JROTC – Marines program at their school. Currently, WCPSS has Navy, Air Force and Army JROTC programs in our school district. This program, if approved, will be the first Marine-JROTC program. Garner Magnet High School will be devoting 10 months of employment (MOE) and facility space to establish this program.

Board Approves Before-School Care Fee Increase

At the March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved an increase in the tuition fee for the Before-School Care programs by $.50 per hour for the 2010-11 school year, and by $.50 per hour for the 2011-12 school year for a total increase of $1.00 per hour over two years. The current hourly rate is $1.75 per hour. This increase will bring the hourly rate for Before-School Care in line with the current hourly rate for After-School Care programs, which is $2.75 per hour. The Before-School Care registration fee will be increased by $5.00, bringing the yearly registration fee up to $15.00, which is consistent with the After-School registration fee.

Before-School Care program fees have not increased since 2007-08. The school system currently operates 58 Before-School Care programs. This increase in the Before-School Care fees will enable schools to meet program expenses and maintain programs that support students and their families.

Board Approves Support for Governor’s School Tuition

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved the district paying $250 for each Wake County student selected for 2010 Governor’s School, possibly up to 60 students. 112 WCPSS students were nominated for Governor’s School and families will be notified later this month about which students are selected.

Historically, the General Assembly of North Carolina has funded student participation in the North Carolina Governor’s School. Recent economic conditions have led the General Assembly to establish $500 tuition for each student, beginning with the 2010 Governor’s School. Earlier the Wake County Board of Education discussed the district paying one-half of the $500 tuition for the NC Governor’s School and that parents/guardians should pay the other $250. 

Once families are notified their child has been selected to attend the prestigious summer program, parents/guardians would send a non-refundable check, payable to WCPSS, to the school for the remaining $250 tuition by March 31. Fee waiver forms, comparable to those used for the SAT waiver process, can be used determine student need for financial assistance with tuition.

Board Approves Request for Tuition-Based Summer School at Green Hope High

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved the request from Green Hope High School to offer Honors Algebra II and Honors Pre-Calculus during the summer for first-time credit. The cost to students who elect to take the course will be $360. The precedent for offering tuition-based courses during the summer was set by Wakefield, Enloe, and Broughton High Schools. Tuition for students taking the mathematics courses will be utilized to fund the teacher and any instructional materials required.

Board Approves Leadership Summer Camp at Centennial Middle School

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved plans by Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School (CCMMS) to offer the “Linking Leadership to Learning Summer Camp” from June 21-25, 2010 on the school’s campus. The goal is to strengthen the Center for Leadership and Technology pathway of Combs Elementary, Centennial Middle and Southeast Raleigh High School. Current and rising 6th-grade students gain the necessary tools to become effective leaders in the school, community and world. Activities will include: team building activities, technology instruction, keynote and small session leadership speakers and daily physical activity through leadership games. The cost for student participants would be $185 for the week, or $320 for two siblings. Scholarships will be available through parent scholarship donations. Lunch will be provided daily. Transportation will not be provided. The program will be staffed by CCMMS teachers who will be funded through the school’s revenue from camp fees.

Board Approves 2010-2011 Instructional Calendar for Wake Early College

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved the 2010-2011 Instructional Calendar for the Wake Early College of Health and Sciences. The calendar is aligned with the Wake Technical Community College calendar and meets all requirements of the public school calendar law.

Board Approves Civitas Institute For Annual Training For Board Members

At its March 2 meeting, the Board of Education approved the Civitas Institute, a non-partisan 501c3 non-profit organization, as an option for this training for board members as called for under North Carolina law (Chapter 115C-50). The law requires that school board members receive a minimum of 12 clock hours of training annually. The training may also include two hours in ethics education as mandated by S.L. 2009-403. Training may be provided by the North Carolina School Boards Association, School of Government at UNC Chapel Hill or other qualified sources at the choice of the local school board of education (see 115c-50 (C)). No funds are required with this approval; however, board members will be required to pay for individual training.