School budget talks still focus on equity

In a county with two distinct school districts, budget discussions are never easily handled.

And as those countywide discussions near completion this year, school leaders are supplying their constituents with the best information they can to ensure that their concerns get equal air time.

In the midst of what is being called a difficult budget year, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools officials held a meeting Monday to let people know what’s in store for the budget at the state and county levels.

City schools spokeswoman Kim Hoke presented information about contacting members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners and representatives in the General Assembly to the more than 30 attendees gathered in the media center of East Chapel Hill High School.

The group, comprising mostly members of school organizations, also discussed ways to circulate budget information to parents.

“Informally, I think a lot of ideas have been shared to get information out,” Hoke said after the meeting.

Creating a listserv for members of school groups and sending out an informational message through Connect-ED, the district’s telephone system, were some of the ideas brainstormed at the meeting.

Due to a request for a more than $200 increase in per-pupil funding and possible state funding reductions, the district has to draft possible spending reductions, which have piqued the interest of many parents and school staff.

Potential areas of impact include middle school after-school programs and teacher assistants.

Even while suggesting spending cuts, city schools’ requests still will have to compete for approval at the county level, where the needs of the Orange County school district will be equally valued.

County budget preparations are being further complicated by the now glaring funding disparities between both districts.

Equity has been a buzz word surrounding school funding talks since Commissioner Moses Carey Jr. raised the idea of merging both districts in 2003.

Inequalities primarily stem from city schools’ special tax, which generates about $13 million each year.

Commissioners have estimated that they need about $2.3 million to tackle the disparity.

One proposal for streamlining school funding is three-tiered.

The highest priority would devote funding to mandates such as teacher pay and benefit increases.

One notch down would be the allocation of funds to remedy the impact of state budget cuts.

District officials estimate that $575,000 in discretionary budget cuts and a potential 4 percent reduction in the state’s education budget, if allocated evenly across all districts, could result in a loss of about $2 million for schools.

The third tier would address equity.

“What (commissioners have) talked about more is agreeing on some things they will fund directly,” city schools Superintendent Neil Pedersen said.

Pedersen told the group Monday that commissioners also could decide to raise the countywide tax and lower city schools’ special tax as a way to mitigate disparities.

Commissioners and members of both school boards will meet jointly at 7 p.m. tonight at the Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill to discuss district funding.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.