School boards join forces

In a joint session of the two local school boards Wednesday, most members seemed pleased with progress in collaboration efforts between the city and county districts.

Orange County Schools Superintendent Shirley Carraway and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Neil Pedersen updated the boards on progress made by the School Collaboration Work Group.

Leaders created the group — comprising county government and school officials — to facilitate collaboration between the two districts as an alternative to merger.

Orange County Commissioner Moses Carey proposed the joining of city and county schools in 2003, and the issue played a large role in commissioner elections last year.

County school board member Elizabeth Brown said that disparity between the districts was a main reason to consider the merger — and that since the collaboration effort was designed to be an alternative, school officials still should address the inequity.

“It’s the elephant standing in the room,” she said.

But city school board vice chairwoman Elizabeth Carter maintained that the boards should not address the problem jointly.

“I don’t think we should be held hostage to something happening on the other side of the district,” she said.

Others expressed a desire for a greater focus on balancing fiscal inequality between the districts.

County school board chairwoman Libbie Hough said officials might place a greater emphasis on disparity after the commissioners get the results of a study on the school districts Tuesday.

The Educational Excellence Study, which evaluates instructional resources in the county, was prepared by Professor Madeleine Grumet of the UNC School of Education.

“It may open a lot of people’s eyes, hopefully,” said county school board member Dennis Whitling.

Other than concerns about financial equity, most in attendance seemed optimistic about the potential for future collaboration between the districts.

“We’ve accomplished a lot,” said city school board chairwoman Lisa Stuckey.

She said all of the collaborative efforts accomplished thus far seem to be positive for both districts.

One of those efforts — a dual-enrollment program in which students from both districts can apply to attend a middle college program at Durham Technical Community College — has come to fruition.

The middle college, for which applications are now available, will hold its first classes this fall.

School board members also discussed joint professional development, as well as after-school and early-childhood programs, as ways to unite the districts.

County school board member Delores Simpson said the collaboration efforts seemed promising.

“This is something new, and I think it’s a start,” she said. “Us getting ourselves together and talking — that’s the first step.”

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.