Onslow County Schools budget Update

The Jacksonville Daily News reported that Onslow County Schools has nearly $3 million dollars less in this year's budget.

I admire the decision of the administration to hold firm in their decision not to lay off any employees in spite of budget constraints. Even though the 2009-2010 budget reflects a reduction of about 100 teaching positions and 70 teacher assistant positions, I believe not filling vacant positions due to resignation and retirements will help current employees.

Save Educator Jobs!!!!

I am encouraging you to take the time to write a letter to your House and Senate members. Why? Jobs, student learning, classroom resources and benefits are at stake. We must learn to do for ourselves. Wear red on Wednesdays; go to Raleigh on Educator Wednesdays. It’s time we do something now.

Craven County likely to lose positions

Craven likely to lose teaching positions

By Laura Oleniacz

June 7, 2009 - 4:56PM

Craven County Schools is looking at state budget cuts that could lead to the loss of more than 100 jobs, including teacher positions.

The possible reductions are part of a "worst-case scenario" that local school administrators are preparing for based on a House education subcommittee's proposed budget reductions. Administrators received the proposed figures earlier last week.

The funding projections are still preliminary since the N.C. General Assembly has not approved a final budget, said David Clifton, Craven County Schools assistant superintendent of business and finance.

"The House has not approved the budget, and the House and the Senate need to get a compromise budget, so we're going to be working on this all summer," Clifton said. "But we're trying to identify as much as we can right now to try to be ready to make the adjustments that we need to make."

The possible state funding reductions would mean cuts of 60 classroom teachers and an increase of class size by two students, cuts to two to three assistant principal positions, 45 to 50 teacher assistants, three guidance or media specialist positions, in addition to cuts to substitute teachers as well as clerical and custodial employees.

The system would also lose 50 percent, or $727,923, in low-wealth funding in fiscal year 2010 that would necessitate an additional cut of 16 teachers and six teacher assistants. In 2011, the county is proposed to lose its low-wealth funding entirely.

School administrators are still identifying how many positions would be affected by the proposed reduction to other funding pools, such as state funding for at-risk services.

"This is the worst-case scenario that we've ever seen in our careers," Clifton said. "These are drastic cuts."

Superintendent Larry Moser echoed Clifton's statements.

"This is the worst that I've ever seen in my 30-plus years in the business," he said.

But school administrators are taking steps to curb the funding losses.

Of the potentially more than 100 jobs whose funding is in jeopardy, school administrators have already identified 43 positions that could be funded using federal stimulus dollars. More than 20 positions can be absorbed through attrition measures such as retirements, keeping unfilled positions vacant, or through transfers.

To help with cuts to administration, the position (director of family and community service) in the central office would be left unfilled. The duties have been absorbed by others in the central office, Moser said.

He added that three learning system coaches and a clerical staff member in the central office would not be filled.

But school officials said they are also looking into scenarios other than personnel reductions that could be used to absorb the funding cuts.

"We're right in the middle of taking a look at every other available pot of money," Moser said.

But Clifton said there may have to be personnel cuts in this fiscal year, if the state calls for this amount of funding reductions.

"You couldn't make these types of cuts without cutting in the classroom," he said.

The Craven County Board of Education as well as school personnel have been informed of the possible funding reductions, Moser said.

Clifton said it is likely that the system's proposed $125.5 million fiscal year 2010 budget will be approved before the General Assembly adopts its biennial budget. If so, the cuts would be included in a later amendment to the system's 2010 budget.

The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the system's proposed budget at its June 18 meeting.

"There's a real good chance we're going to lose some personnel," Moser said. "(But) we just hope the final budget is not as drastic as this."

Carteret Board Approves Cuts

Schools approve cuts

NEWS-TIMES

Published: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 3:07 PM EDT

CHERYL BURKE

BEAUFORT — The County Board of Education agreed Tuesday to cut the budget, reduce employee pay and layoff and furlough some workers.

Most of the actions are in anticipation of an estimated $2.8 billion state budget reduction for 2009-2010. The panel met in the school system’s central services office on Safrit Drive,

Some actions, such as reverting $230,000 to the state for fiscal 2008-2009 – the current fiscal year – were done in an effort to help balance the 2008-2009 state budget deficit.

The board took four consecutive votes. Board members said their hands were tied and the decisions were painful.

“This has been the toughest time to deal with budgets. It’s tough times and it’s not easy,” said Board of Education member Al Hill. “It’s hard when you’re thinking about how it affects people’s lives, their families, the community and children.”

School officials say they are attempting to save as many jobs as possible by transferring employees into positions being vacated through retirements and other types of attrition. While Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ralph Lewis could not give an exact figure on the number of employees that will actually lose their jobs, he said it should be less than 10.

“We are still finding places for people,” he said.

Traditionally, school employees wait until the end of the school year to make decisions about retirement or resignations. So he’s hopeful even more jobs can be saved.

As well as approving lay-offs and furloughs, the board voted to withhold half a percent of school employee’s pay for the remainder of fiscal 2008-2009. This is in line with a directive Gov. Bev Perdue issued earlier this year.

Gov. Perdue’s executive order includes a flexible furlough plan for teachers and state employees. It calls for all teachers’ and state employees’ compensation to be reduced by an annualized amount equivalent to 0.5 percent for the remainder of the fiscal year. In return, each employee will receive 10 hours of flexible time off that can be taken between June 1 and Dec. 31.

Since the board approved the half-percent reduction for both state and locally paid employees, the board had to decide where the money withheld from locally paid employees would go. The board voted to give that money back to the county government. Money withheld from state paid employees will go back to the state.

The third action was to adopt a resolution approving the furlough and reduction of positions for 2009-2010 because of the estimated $2.8 million state budget reduction for the upcoming fiscal year. Earlier in May, Superintendent Dr. Dan Novey announced reductions in staff for the next school year.

Reductions include such things as: mandatory furloughs; reducing overtime; cutting back on hours of teacher assistants; eliminating three central office positions; eliminating some teacher positions; and continuing a freeze on rehiring retirees.

The fourth action was to revert an additional $230,000 to the state for the current fiscal year. J. Ipock, finance officer for the school system, said the school system was ordered May 1 to revert the funds.

Earlier this year the school board reverted about $325,000.

All board members said taking the actions were hard and thanked school employees for their willingness to sacrifice during these difficult economic times.

“I applaud the staff that has taken furloughs to try and keep this away from the classroom and have the least affect on the classroom and children,” said Mr. Hill.

Board member Shelley Sylivant agreed.

“I have been impressed with how teachers and staff have responded,” said Ms. Sylivant. “About 90 percent of the people I have talked with have said ‘I am willing to do what it takes to get through this.’ The other 10 percent said what was on their mind, and that’s OK. A lot of people are frustrated.”

Dr. Novey said every effort is being made to move personnel who are being cut into other positions.

“If an individual has lost their position and someone else resigns or moves, we will try to bring that individual back,” he said.

Jimmy Collins, a school retiree and representative with the N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE), attended Tuesday’s meeting to hear what the board had to say.

“I’ve been contacted by many people – retirees, teachers, people outside the school system, single parents – there are many people concerned,” said Mr. Collins. “I came tonight to get a better idea of what is going on.”

Mr. Collins said he has contacted the office of Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., as well as talked to school board members about school employees’ concerns. He also plans to speak with county commissioners.

“I understand there are cuts, but I want to understand where the federal stimulus money is going,” he said.

Mr. Collins also expressed concern about the increase in class sizes because of teacher and teacher assistant positions being cut.

Pay cuts protested

School employees from Carteret and Craven counties hold signs and umbrellas during a teacher rally Tuesday to protest state pay cuts. The rally was held Tuesday at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City. (Cheryl Burke photo)

NEWS-TIMES

Published: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 3:04 PM EDT

CHERYL BURKE

MOREHEAD CITY — About 30 school employees from Carteret and Craven counties rallied Tuesday to vent frustration over state pay cuts announced April 28 by Gov. Bev Perdue.

The group, comprised of N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE) members, gathered at the Crystal Coast Civic Center.

The meeting was hurriedly called to plan for a statewide rally planned for noon Saturday at the NCAE headquarters in Raleigh, where educators will protest the half-percent pay cut for teachers and state employees. That cut is in effect for May and June to help close the gap on an estimated $3 billion state budget shortfall for this fiscal year.

“We just got notified about the rally last week, and I have received so many phone calls from people upset about the cuts that I thought it would be a good idea to meet and discuss what we can do,” said Opal Bostic, president of the Carteret County Association of Educators.

“I’m a single mom, and it’s hard enough to make ends meet,” she continued. “We know it’s hard times, but to have that much money come out of your check without any notice is hard. We had no time to prepare.”

Many of those attending the meeting brought umbrellas as a symbol of the thousands of NCAE members who stood in the rain on Election Day to vote for candidates who had promised a strong commitment to education. Others brought signs calling for a halt to pay cuts.

Gov. Perdue’s executive order includes a flexible furlough plan for teachers and state employees. It calls for all teachers’ and state employees’ compensation to be reduced by an annualized amount equivalent to 0.5 percent for the remainder of the fiscal year. In return, each employee will receive 10 hours of flexible time off that can be taken between June 1 and Dec. 31.

County school employees were also hit with the news May 1 that additional local cuts were coming in 2009 in anticipation of state budget cuts. Those cuts include such things as: furloughs when employees will not work, will not be paid and cannot use leave time; reducing overtime; cutting back on hours of teacher assistants; eliminating three central office positions; eliminating some teacher positions; and continuing a freeze on rehiring retirees.

Jane Burbella, a media coordinator at East Carteret High School, said the N.C. General Assembly is considering additional bills that would cut even more from education.

“Surely there are other areas that can be cut,” said Mrs. Burbella. “I don’t mind doing my share, but don’t balance the local or state budget to the detriment of our educational program in Carteret County and in North Carolina.”

Mrs. Burbella said her household is taking a double hit financially because her husband, George Burbella, a computer-lab remediation instructor at ECHS, was notified his position was among those cut next school year.

Mr. Burbella also serves as co-athletic director at East Carteret and has coached three other sports. She said the school system has indicated Mr. Burbella will be moved to another school because of his seniority, but will lose his coaching supplements.

“I guess we are grateful he has a job, but because he will not be co-athletic director with a supplement and a month’s summer employment and coaching three various sports all three seasons, his salary took a significant hit,” she said.

“We implore our government — both local and state — to help education maintain its current status and when the budget crunch is over to continue to help our Carteret County and North Carolina educational program.”

Liz Kappel, a guidance counselor at East Carteret, went so far as to say she was willing to give up her job in order to save a classroom teacher’s position.

“I’m a counselor but my job should go before a classroom teacher,” she said.

She called on legislators to put a moratorium on much of the state’s mandated tests and put that money toward the budget deficit.

“We should put a moratorium on the extensive testing. Stop the field testing and the follow-up field testing. Then before we reinstate the testing I challenge our state legislators to take the five tests high school students must take in order to graduate,” she said.

“They’re so important that students can’t graduate without passing them. So if the legislators don’t score proficient they can’t run for office or keep their office. That’s what they tell us.”

She added that instead of cutting teacher positions, cuts should be made to jobs at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. Thirdly, she demanded more transparency on how money was being spent by the state government.

County Commissioner Wade Nelms encouraged teachers to attend the County Board of Education and county commissioners’ meetings to let their concerns be known.

“I want to hear from the people in the field. We’ve got serious decisions to make,” he said. “We just received our budget workbooks last weekend. I want to hear what’s going right and what’s wrong. But keep in mind we’ve got to deal with what’s trickling down from the state.”

Former N.C. Rep. Ronnie Smith of Highway 24 west encouraged NCAE members to organize and present a united show of force in Raleigh.

“It’s important that you fight for what you believe in,” he said. “NCAE, you elected Bev Perdue as governor.”

In response to Mr. Smith’s statement, someone in the audience yelled, “And we can ‘unelect’ her, too.”

Retired school employee Jimmy Collins, who served as a past NCAE District Director and Precinct President, put his hand on his heart at one point and said, “It hurts my heart to see what they’re doing. I urge the governor to go back and look at the budget and give the money back to the students.”

Rhonda Sneeden, sister-in-law of late Carteret County Schools Superintendent Brad Sneeden, was among educators from Craven County attending the meeting.

“What can we do now? Go to Raleigh Saturday,” she said. “Encourage your friends and family to go to Saturday. E-mail and write your legislators. Talk to them every chance you get. Be vigilant.”

Robert Blackwell, regional education consultant for the NCAE, said, “We know that our governor has a gigantic task ahead of her to save North Carolina from financial ruin. We understand that no one is safe or completely protected from pay cuts given the economic condition of this state and nation.

“Teachers and state employees in North Carolina have historically shouldered the burden for the state with no pay raises to small pay raises when politicians have struggled to balance the budget. In difficult economic times, it has been educators who have sacrificed to help the state move forward or move beyond financial crisis.

“We hope that in the long-term our governor and legislators will look at other options to save money and to cut spending. Major steps need to be taken by the General Assembly to provide the appropriate revenue to prevent job layoffs, class size expansion and further salary reductions.”

NCAE Horrified by House Budget that Guts Public Education

I just read an article with interest, "NCAE Horrified by House Budget that Guts Public Education" . A few questions to my readers. Are you horrified? What are your plans to to help save public education in North Carolina? Are you willing to participate in Educator Wednesday's? Are you willing to call, write, or email your legislator? Let's stop the Destruction of Public Education.

Should we be politically active?

Should we be politically active?

The answer is a big YES!!!!

Every decision is a political decision and politicians remember what organizations and who helped them get elected.

What can you do? Volunteer to make phone calls, knock on doors, help with mailings or hold a house party to raise awareness about a pro-education NCAE endorsed candidate.