What’s more important than funding and maintaining our schools?
Did you know that nearly half our Orange County budget goes to Orange Public Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public Schools? May and June are the months for the Orange County Commissioners to discuss budgets. On Tuesday, June 11th the Commission will vote on the city and county school budgets, as well as many budget amendments. Here is the Tuesday Orange County Commission agenda. (Amendments will be allowed until Monday 5:00.)
The school administrations are asking the Commission to fund last year’s funding levels plus inflation and state mandates. In the meantime the Commission is considering new parks, new offices, increases in county staff salaries, as well as a pay raise for the elected commissioners themselves. If the Commissioners elect to fund at the County Manager’s recommendation, then teacher and staff positions will be cut.
How much are the schools requesting? Read News and Observer full article here.
▪ Roughly 49.5% of the county’s 2019-20 budget is allocated to the city and county school districts. Each school board decides how to spend its district’s money. The districts get county money based on their enrollment numbers, and also get state and federal funding. The NC Legislature has reduced funding for schools in recent years placing a strain on county budgets. Also the county is spending more money on the school bond passed in 2016.
▪ The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools expect to serve 12,274 students next year, including 169 charter school students. The Orange County Schools expect 8,134 students, including 843 charter school students.
▪ The draft budget allocates $55.4 million for the city schools, $3.8 million less than the district’s $59.2 million request. It allocates $36.8 million for the county schools, roughly $800,000 less than the district’s $37.6 million request.
▪ The budget also includes $3 million in one-time spending for school maintenance needs such as buses and technology support. The County has neglected school maintenance needs for many years and has yet to start to chip away at these pressing needs of our older schools.
Things to keep in mind going into Tuesday’s budget discussions.
- We urge the Commission to keep our schools operational and safe, and we need to fund our teachers.
- We urge our commissioners to defend the Chapel Hill District tax that funds positions such as smaller classrooms for students with disabilities, teaching assistants beyond the state minimum, additional school counselors and reading teachers, science kits, and ESL teachers and much more.
- Tight budgets can lead to bad decisions. Recently the Chapel Hill – Carrboro School Board floated the idea of changing school start times instead of recommending to increase School Bus Driver salaries.
Please take a few minutes advocate to the Commissioners for the approval of the schools budget as requested! Urge the Commissioners to approve the school budget request at Ocbocc@orangecountync.gov .
Relevant information for the budget discussions
Orange County’s choice: Gradually higher taxes over 3 years or take a big hit now
Budget amendments proposed by individual commissioners
Marcoplos proposal for tax increase to address climate change