Will Wake County school board members side with county commissioners or school district staff on the issue of "purpose and function" in school budgeting?

Commissioners had passed a resolution in December to request, but not require, the school board to use purpose and function. If implemented, the school district would divide the $313.5 million it will request from the county into several categories and have to get permission to change any category by more than the 15 percent.

But David Neter, the school district's chief business officer, says he'll ask the school board to request the $313.5 million as a lump sum and not through purpose and function.

Here's a synopsis of how Wake County school administrators are dealing with a proposed 8.8 percent funding cut from state House Education leaders.

With the cut being far higher than the 5 percent reduction the new budget was built on, Wake is drawing up plans should they need to lay off teacher assistants and custodians.

One of the major differences between what the state Department of Public Instruction and the state House has proposed is a greater reduction in funding for teacher assistants. The state House plan would remove all funding for teacher assistants beyond kindergarten and first grade.

Who makes the most money in the Wake County school system?

That's one of the questions that the Charlotte Observe looked at as part of a Sunday article on six-figures salaries in Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. Wake had 99 employees making at least $100,000 with 60 of them being principals.

This compares to 103 Wake employees with six-figure salaries in 2010, 112 in 2009 and 99 in 2008.

Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata is recommending two vastly differently approaches to deal with under-enrolled schools.

As noted in today's article, one approach had the school board voting Tuesday to set aside $896,000 to provide additional teachers to five small underutilized elementary schools. The article also noted how when it comes to underutilized multi-track year-round schools, Tata wants to pursue the option of letting them switch to a single track.

Let's start with the small elementary schools discussion.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST FOR LINKS TO HANDOUTS

Here's some more details about the Renaissance Model being used to turn around the Wake County school system's four lowest performing elementary schools.

The quick description is that additional resources, including new technology, signing bonuses and performance bonuses, will be used at Barwell Road, Brentwood, Creech Road and Wilburn elementary schools. All four schools happen to have high poverty levels but they were chosen because their passing rates were below 60 percent on state exams last year.

The issue has gotten more attention this week because the school board voted Tuesday on a $950,000 a year bonus plan for the schools using federal Race to the Top money.

Wake County residents aren't hesitating to give their feedback on how Wake can save money in the face of next year's budget crunch.

As noted in today's article, Wake had 463 comments as of Dec. 16 to its online suggestion box. Four of the most commonly suggested ideas are going to four-day weeks, charging students to play athletics, encouraging veteran teachers to retire early and cutting administration more.

“If we get a single idea that’s worth considering, it’s been useful,” said school board member Keith Sutton, who had suggested creating the suggestion box. “We need to find out from the public what sacrifices they’re willing to make.”

The most anticipated discussion topic at last week's Wake County school board economically disadvantaged student performance task force meeting was the Fund 6 balances for individual schools.

Each school maintains a Fund 6 account for the revenues they generate. The amounts vary widely among the schools and are used to pay for a variety of things.

Questions about Enloe High School having the most Fund 6 revenue this past fiscal year of any school in the district at $649,325.95 took up a good chunk of the discussion. Click here for the handouts.

An online suggestion box is now live for you to provide comments to Wake County school leaders on how to help with next year's budget problems.

Click here for the link to give your suggestions. It's the brainchild of school board member Keith Sutton, chairman of the board's finance committee, as a way to get suggestions from the public.

"Who knows what ideas we’ll get," Sutton said. "We could get some great ideas."

The new middle school math placement guidelines will take a back seat at today's meeting of the Wake County school board economically disadvantaged student performance task force.

Only five minutes on today's agenda is scheduled for an update on the math placement stats presented at the last ED meeting. School board member John Tedesco, chairman of the task force, said administrators are still resolving whether the numbers accurately reflect minority enrollment this year in pre-algebra and Algebra I.

Far more time, 45 minutes, is set aside for discussion of a draft policy on equity and equality.

Wake County school administrators painted their grimmest budget picture yet for next school year as they warned today that layoffs are inevitable and that deep classroom cuts will have to be considered.

The school system is facing the loss of more than $100 million in funding next year from the loss of federal stimulus dollars and the state facing a $3 billion revenue shortfall. With salaries accounting for more than 80 percent of Wake’s $1.2 billion operating budget, Chief Business Officer David Neter said layoffs are “inevitable” based on the scope of the funding cuts.

Neter said Wake has been fortunate compared to other school districts in that it hasn’t had to make classroom cuts that are as deep. He said that could end next year as Wake is out of wiggle room.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST