The GA did some good things for education in NC this year

From Pricey Harrison's August 22, 2008 Newsletter:

Greetings,

Education remains one of the main priorities of government in North Carolina and this year, even as we faced challenges in our economy, the General Assembly continued its strong investment in public schools.

More than half of the state’s budget is spent on K-12 education, community colleges, and public universities. Most of that money – $7.8 billion in this fiscal year – is spent on public schools. Our investment in this area pays off in a number of ways as more students graduate from high school and go to college and beyond. This year, we expanded our investment in a new dropout prevention program and in North Carolina’s acclaimed More at Four preschool program, created a teacher mentoring program, and continued to look for ways to improve technology. I will explain some of these programs in a little more detail below. The list is not comprehensive, but should give you an idea of how we value education.

Salaries and Bonuses

Teachers in North Carolina received an average pay increase of 3 percent this year. I wish we could have given them and our state employees larger raises, but growth in the state this year was slower than in previous years and we had less money available for raises. The raise was one of the largest in the Southeast this fiscal year as other states experience economic slowdowns. Last year we were to fund an average pay increase of 5 percent. Starting pay now for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree is about $31,000 a year and average pay in North Carolina ranks second in the Southeast. This year, we allowed the State Board of Education to spend up to $94 million for teacher bonuses for student performance. Unlike previous years, we capped the amount so that we could ensure the state would have money to pay the millions more needed for higher fuel costs.

More at Four

We realize that much of our children’s success in school depends on what they learn before they get to school. For that reason, we continue to invest in preschool programs such as Smart Start and More at Four. This year, the state budget includes $30 million to expand the More at Four program, a high-quality pre-kindergarten program that serves thousands of at-risk children in our state.

Dropout Prevention

While we have made many improvements in our schools, too many of our students still fail to graduate. Last year, the General Assembly created a new dropout prevention grant program that awarded a total of $7 million to more than 60 community-based programs. This year, we expanded the program by putting another $15 million into it. The programs work with dropouts and those at risk of dropping out. The new Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation will evaluate the programs that receive grants and decide whether expanding or replicating them will improve graduation rates in the state. The commission will also review research on student success and study major middle and high school reform efforts and how they may influence the dropout rate. It will review the courses required for graduation and determine whether changes should be made and which strategies best help students remain in school when they are at risk of being retained.

Technology

The state’s base budget includes $12 million to pay for a plan to provide information technology infrastructure in our schools. We increased that amount by $10 million in an effort to improve schools’ abilities to use up-to-date technology in our classrooms. Over the past two fiscal years, the General Assembly provided $4.5 million for a pilot program that provides laptop computers to all teachers and students in eight high schools.

Mentoring

The legislature increased its investment in teacher mentoring programs this year by $3 million. The money will be used to help establish a flexible program to serve all first and second-year teachers as well as first-year instructional support personnel. Under a plan approved by the State Board of Education, school systems will be allowed to use the money for programs it believes will best serve beginning teachers.

Teacher Leave

The General Assembly budgeted $5 million this year to allow every teacher in the state one free personal leave day. Previously, teachers had to pay to cover the cost of a substitute any time they used a personal leave day. The General Assembly also approved a change in the law that prohibits school systems from charging teachers for personal leave days taken when students are not in school. The estimated statewide savings for teachers is more than $200,000.

Miscellaneous

_ $35 million to cover higher diesel fuel costs for buses

_ $6.2 million more for children with disabilities

_ $6 million more for The Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund

_ $3.6 million for Learn and Earn high schools; $1 million for Learn and Earn virtual schools

_ $3.2 million more for academically gifted students

_ $2.9 million for supplemental funding to low-wealth counties

_ $750,000 for Teach for America program

_ $500,000 for childhood obesity pilot programs

_ $500,000 for Communities in Schools

_ $300,000 for PTA Parental Involvement Initiative

Please remember that you can listen to committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s Web site at http://www.ncleg.net. Once on the site, select “audio,” and then make your selection. You can also use the Web site to look up bills, view lawmaker biographies and access other information.

Please remember – even during this time between sessions – to stay in touch regarding your suggestions and concerns so that we can work together during the next session to improve the quality of life for all our citizens.

Cheers,

Pricey