Schools May Dodge Cuts: Balanced Budget Might Leave No Room for New Hires
Posted on: Thursday, 8 June 2006, 12:00 CDT
By Brandee Hayhurst, Times-News, Burlington, N.C.
Jun. 8--Thanks to a last-minute compromise by county commissioners Monday night, the school system expects to balance its budget and avoid much-feared cuts in the arts at elementary schools or in middle school athletics.
At the same time, Alamance Community College can probably avoid reducing class days or other cuts, although the college received a little less funding than requested.
Superintendent Jim Merrill said at a meeting of the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education Wednesday that system leaders could pay raises for existing teachers by using some of the state funding they hope to receive for new teachers.
He said this tactic means hiring fewer new teachers next year and allowing slightly larger class sizes at some schools that are growing. The state could fund 16 new positions at the Alamance-Burlington School System next year because of growth in student enrollment.
A lot depends on whether state legislators decide to increase raises to teachers and others. The school system budgeted for a 5 percent raise to teachers, but legislators are considering bills that would require 7 or 8 percent raises instead.
State funds cover the raises for most teachers and staff, but some school-system positions are paid by local funds. The school system wanted an extra $1.8 million from the county commissioners to pay for the raises, an increase in health insurance, more funds for charter schools, and growing utility costs. The commissioners agreed to provide an extra $1.2 million and to move $500,000 from the school system's capital fund into its operating fund.
Right now, Merrill said the school system predicts a shortfall of $127,000, which could be covered by hiring three fewer teachers.
The shortfall would become more than $500,000 if state legislators give higher raises. In that case, Merrill wants to hire eight fewer teachers and fill in with other state funds to balance the budget. But schools that saw a large leap in student enrollment should still get at least one new teacher.
"The principal has to decide at what grade level they need (another teacher) most," Merrill said.
ALAMANCE COMMUNITY College President Martin Nadelman said the board of trustees will consider trimming the budget at a meeting Monday night. The college requested an increase of $250,000 and ended up with an increase of $150,000.
That's better than the $100,000 cut the college was initially facing. ACC could turn to cutting programs like weekend classes to balance the budget, but likely will do what is possible to "maintain the status quo," Nadelman said.
"There's not a whole lot I can change." Brandee Hayhurst can be reached at brandee_hayhurst@link.freedom.com
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Copyright (c) 2006, Times-News, Burlington, N.C.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
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Source: Times-News
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