Budget Highlights
Cleveland NCAE keeping YOU up to date on the details!!
Here are budget highlights
There is a lot to digest in the over 600 pages of the budget bill and money report; more details will be forthcoming later this week. There are many directives to local school boards, the NC Department of Public Instruction and for the NC State Board of Education. Many of the directives do not come with additional funds.
One major policy change is a new definition for low-performing schools and districts that requires the implementation of school or district improvement plans. This is a very detailed directive and will be in a separate analysis later this week.
For now, here are the main budget highlights:
• Increases School Vouchers by $6.8 million in 2015-16 and $14 million in 2016-17, a total increase of 129% over 2014-15 funding level.
• Teacher Assistants are fully funded at the 2014-15 levels; but funds must be used for teacher assistants only. All flexibility for the funds being eliminated effective this school year.
• All State employees/school personnel receive a one-time $750 bonus (includes central office staff). The salary steps (tiers) are the same as 2014-15 and will be funded for teachers and principals/assistant principals.
• Class size for first grade is reduced to 1:16 for 2016-17; an additional $27 million is allocated for additional teachers.
• New beginning teacher will be paid $35,000 (an increase from $33,000).
• Teacher support will now be funded from general funds (not lottery funds) and non-instructional support personnel funded from lottery funds (no longer from general funds).
• Funds the ADM for 2015-16 and puts projected 2016-17 ADM monies in reserve part of the budget.
• Funding for textbook and digital resources is increased $21.8 million 2015-16 and $31 million next year.
• Funds Driver Education for 2015-2016 (general fund) and 2016-2017 (civil penalty and forfeiture fund). School districts can charge up to $65 per student to fund driver’s education; school districts must reduce fee for students that prove economic hardship.
• NC DPI receives funds to carry out the Excellent Public Schools Act: $3.8 million in 2015-16 and $8.5 million in 2016-17.
• Cuts NC Department of Public Instruction by 5.2 percent.
• $2 Million for Wi-Fi networks to provide connectivity at the classroom level this year and another $12 million next year.
• No COLA increase for retirees.
• The budget maintains the 12 percent pay differential for National Board Certified teachers.
• Read to Achieve reading camps for 1st and 2nd graders in addition to the 3rd grade reading camps are allocate $20 million. Allocation is same as the process used for the summer camp funding for 3rd graders.
• Creates a $1 million competitive grant program for principal preparation programs within the State Education Assistance Authority.
• The education transportation budget is cut by 5 percent.
• Provides one-time $809 bonus for principals and assistant principals at top of the salary scale.
• Eliminates General Fund support for the Hunt Institute.
• Funds Cooperative Innovative High Schools in Pitt, Watauga and Wilson Counties and the Northeast Regional School of Biotechnology and Agriscience. Guilford and Wake County schools can access funds for college course work without additional operating funds.
• There is no change to master's and other advanced degree pay. If you had a master's or other advanced degree or had completed one class prior to August 1, 2013, you are grandfathered under rules in place prior to that date. Master's and other advanced degree pay will always be allowed if your job requires it.
• Changes in the educational leave policy.
• State Board of Education cannot allow waivers to local boards of education for state laws and rules with the exception of class size and school calendar requirements needed to accommodate makeup days sue to school closings.
• Department of Public Safety and the Center for Safer Schools must construct and maintain a statewide School Risk and Response Management System that integrates existing data and applications that support risk planning, exercises, monitoring and emergency response via 911 dispatch.
• Gives the State Board of Education the authority to consolidate county school districts that share a border. City school districts are excluded from this new authority.
• State Board of Community Colleges and State Board of Education are directed to develop remedial classes in math, reading, and English for high school seniors who do not meet certain college readiness criteria.
• Changes the educator preparation program process requirement for admission into educator preparation programs by adding a minimum GPA; creates formalized requirements for student clinical teaching experiences.
• LEAs must ensure that all teachers are given access to school-level value-added data and their own value-added data
• Local school boards must adopt a policy for implementing a reduction in force.
• State Board of Education is directed to find alternative funding formula for NC Virtual Public School.
• Directs DPI to develop potential policy changes that improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
• State Board of Education is asked to evaluate the feasibility of integrating competency-based assessments for use in local school administrative units and as part of a statewide testing system.