Local school boards weigh proposals

Local school board members aired concerns Friday about the establishment of a state lottery and what they called “unfunded mandates” from the state.

Members of the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school boards met with legislators at the Lincoln Center, city schools’ central office, to discuss these issues and others.

A state lottery that could help fund education was a hot topic among those present. Lawmakers have introduced numerous bills in the General Assembly that would establish a lottery, and House Speaker Jim Black has said he would like the issue to face a vote in his chamber this year.

“The lottery raises all kinds of issues,” said Lisa Stuckey, board chairwoman for city schools.

She added that the city school board is not in favor of a state lottery, suggesting an increase in cigarette taxes — something called for by Gov. Mike Easley in his budget proposal — as an alternative.

If the lottery passes the legislature, funding could go to school construction and more classroom technology.

“School construction is certainly a leading contender in there,” said Rep. Joe Hackney, D-Orange.

While many did not show support for the lottery Friday, Rep. Bill Faison, who serves northern Orange and Caswell counties, noted the potential benefits. He said the program is an easy place to find needed funds.

“I’m going to vote very favorably for the lottery,” he said.

“Unfunded mandates” from the state, including smaller class sizes, were also of concern Friday.

Stuckey said the city school district would support having smaller classes — a pet project of Easley’s — if it had the funds to support the reduction.

Inadequate funds for textbooks was another issue raised by school officials.

According to a report from county schools, the state provides about $58 per student each year for textbooks.

School board members also expressed their worries about having more flexibility and local control of their destinies.

Specifically, they discussed the implications of last year’s school calendar legislation, which requires districts across the state to have a similar timetable.

City schools Superintendent Neil Pedersen discussed the importance of the school districts’ calendars aligning with their local community colleges, as many districts have some kind of program in place with these schools.

“It’s going to affect us more drastically than it has in the past,” he said, noting the establishment of a middle college program among both districts and Durham Public Schools.

The program will open in the fall at Durham Technical Community College.

While the school districts continue to battle with these issues, Stuckey did express appreciation for legislators’ ongoing support.

And Hackney noted that North Carolina has done better than many other states in aiding educators.

“We’ve really tried hard to protect education through some tough times,” he said.

Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, shared similar sentiments.

“I think there really is a unanimous support for education being a top priority,” she said — adding that now it is just a matter of implementing improvements in education.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.