At least one school district is stepping up to the plate because the state isn't fully funding teacher bonuses this year.
The Fayetteville Observer is reporting today that the Cumberland County school board voted to dip into its fund balance to make up the estimated $1.4 million difference between what lawmakers appropriated and what successful local teachers were promised.
“I think our teachers exceeded their end of the bargain,” said Cumberland County school board member Greg West in the article. “And the state didn’t hold up their end of the bargain. I think we need to do the right thing.”
As previously noted, the State Board of Education slashed ABCs bonus payouts by 30 percent last week after the General Assembly underfunded the program. The cut lowered the maximum bonus from $1,500 to $1,053.
There hasn't been any public talk in Wake about making up for the reduced payouts. But since Wake has 80,000 more students than Cumberland, it would likely cost a lot more than $1.4 million to make up the shortfall.
Comments
"Do the right thing??""
Wed, 08/13/2008 - 12:34 — WuptdoGood for Cumberland County. However, the concept of "doing the right thing" is a concept the WCPSS Management/BoE(eR) does not understand, unless it benefits those that live "inside-the-beltline" or business that feed off of WCPSS.
So how much money is in the "slushy-fund" these days? 35, 40, 45 million dollars? Oh, and don't forget to punished those politicians elected to represent US at the State House this fall. The blame for this "short fall" is clearly on their shoulders.
Need to come up with a good nick-name for "education hypocrites" -- politicians that talk about education, make their platform based on education, but unwilling to make necessary changes to better education nor fund it.