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Wake County schools face budget cuts, new challenges

By Sharron Gibson
Education Editor

Area schools have become accustomed to doing more with less as the Wake County Public Schools System student population continues to grow and budgets continue to tighten. This trend will escalate when students return for the 2009-2010 school year.

From left, North Garner Middle School Language Arts teachers Iris Sutton, Barbara Stewart, Marcia Timmel and Michael Dublin join fellow teachers from around the state Saturday, May 16 in Raleigh in front of the legislative building to voice their outrage at Gov. Perdue’s mandated pay-cut for state employees. BARRY E. MOORE, GCNT

In anticipation of budget cuts, Superintendent Del Burns cautioned principals this past spring to prepare for a 5 percent reduction in staff. With this reduction, part-time staff members and those on terminating contracts – such as teachers in the final stages of achieving a N.C. teaching license after moving from out of state – were told they would not be returning to their job next school year.

Current predictions are that even those changes will not be sufficient.

The proposed state budget, the House version of which includes a 15 percent reduction in spending on K-12 education, was not finalized at press time. But based on information available thus far, WCPSS is making more changes.

There is a freeze on teacher assistant openings and a new formula to calculate the number of TAs available for each school. This leaves one area elementary school, for example, with only four regular education TAs for a school of roughly 600 children.

Assistants are not the only staff affected by the cuts. According to the Superintendent’s Journal, an online WCPSS publication, Burns says, “We have now instructed principals to immediately freeze hiring of teachers in grades 6 through 12.”

Drastic cuts throughout the system

East Garner Magnet Middle School will have four fewer teachers when classes resume in August.

“The budget is the most difficult thing I have had to do,” EGMMS principal Cathy Williams said.

Vance Elementary School and other area year-round schools will face the changes much sooner, as their new school year begins Tuesday, July 7. Vance Elementary has already lost several TAs, including TA of the Year for 2009-2010 Birgit Plemmons.

The school administration has combined positions, such as the academically gifted teacher and resource teacher positions, to try to meet the needs of all students.

Even with the beginning of the school year quickly approaching, staff numbers are uncertain.

“We are at the mercy of what our numbers will be,” said Vance Elementary principal Don Rose, referring to the student population-based formula that determines the number of teachers allowed per school. “A lot has to be put on hold. I don’t think we need to panic, but we don’t want to do anything that will cause anyone else to be laid off.”

It is expected that no state funds will be available for textbooks or staff development.

Out-of-state travel for training will no longer be permitted. Area schools may not be able to receive anticipated training for such programs as Responsive Classroom (an elementary school program that emphasizes academic, social and emotion development of children) and International Baccalaureate programs.

Funding for staff members who mentor beginning teachers could be cut. The ABC bonuses that are awarded to schools whose students perform well on the end of grade tests will likely not be funded this year.

These pay cuts come on the heels of the 0.5 percent pay reduction that was imposed upon all state employees in May 2009.

Preparing for the worst

In his June 26 Superintendant’s Journal, Burns says mentions the possibility of increasing class sizes. He emphasizes the uncertainty the school system faces until a state budget is adopted.

“While we may have to make further changes after the school year begins, we are taking steps now to prepare for any result,” he said. “We cannot spend funds now that we would have to cut later, thus making a bad situation worse. To that end, we continue to be as proactive as possible.”

Several area principals state that proactive measures are helpful in preparing for future cuts.

“It is impossible to predict if there will be more cuts,” Williams said. “But we are being very conservative in our hiring and spending.”

Rose agrees with Williams.

“The board has done a really good job being cautious,” he said. “[The budget situation] is tough for the state and for the parents.”

Amidst all the changes, bell schedules for all WCPSS schools have also been adjusted for 2009-2010 to allow for more opportunities for staff development, even though staff development funding may be cut from the budget. Despite the cuts and the uncertainty, area schools continue to place priorities on student learning.

“We are working hard to make sure it does not impact instruction, though we will be starting school with fewer teachers than in past years,” Williams said.

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