We Must Keep Moving Forward
June
12, 2003 - On Monday, June 16, the Wake County Board of Commissioners
will decide whether to advance or retreat in the struggle
to leave no child behind.
The county commissioners are debating the level of support to provide the Wake County Public School System. The challenge facing the commissioners -- and all of us as Wake County citizens -- is that our economy has slowed at the same time as school systems across the country are being obligated to do more. For example, President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which challenged public schools to pull out all the stops in ensuring that 100 percent of all students achieve at grade level by the year 2012.
With economic growth slowing at the same time as expectations are rising for our schools, the Wake County Board of Education carefully made their funding request to the county commissioners. The budget request is based on meeting the needs of all children across Wake County, helping lower-performing students succeed while continuing to challenge those who are already ahead of grade level. The board balanced the realities of our local and state economy against the need to maintain Wake County's academic standards. The result was a budget that defers some needs and cuts spending in key areas while expanding proven academic programs. The board's budget included the following items that have now been called into question:
- $2 million in long-overdue teacher salary increases, to help keep highly-qualified teachers in the classroom;
- additional teaching positions to maintain class sizes, continue present programs, and serve an increasing number of children with special needs;
- expansion of our magnet programs, bringing the International Baccalaureate Programme to Garner (an initiative on which we have been working with the Town of Garner for a long time);
- foreign language teaching positions to support electives in magnet schools;
- additional bus driver positions to reduce riding time for students; and
- expansion of Project Achieve, our successful school-based initiative to simultaneously bring struggling students to grade level and challenge high-fliers toward excellence.
In a slow economy, it is understandable that the county commissioners would want to examine their options very carefully. In doing so, I hope that they will consider the most recent audit of the Wake County Public School System by MGT of America. Their findings, along with those of the Citizens Advisory Committee described us as effective and efficient stewards of taxpayers' dollars and called for increased funding for our schools.
I am proud to work in a community with high expectations of its schools. I hope that resources will be provided to fulfill those expectations. Wake County's public schools are among the strongest in the nation. The Wake County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners have worked together to keep our children's education a top priority. Both parties involved have been motivated by great senses of responsibility and stewardship to our community. This partnership must continue. And now it is time for the voice of Wake County citizens who want their schools to continue moving forward to be heard.
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