Wake commissioners were stretching the truth a bit when they said that they were emulating Mecklenburg County in providing school funding by purpose and function instead of by a lump sum.
Wake school leaders insisted Monday that there's a major difference in how both counties are handling this more detailed level of funding. They argued that Mecklenburg commissioners give the school district much more of a say in setting the funding.
In a nutshell, Wake school leaders were right.
Here's a look at how both counties handled the budget appropriation.
Last Monday, Wake commissioners adopted the budget. By Tuesday afternoon, the county had given the school board the budget ordinance which listed how the school appropriation was being provided by purpose and function. The school board can't deviate from any of the categories by more than 15 percent unless they get permission.
School officials say the purpose and function amounts were set without their input.
Over in Mecklenburg, commissioners adopted their budget last Tuesday. The following day, Charlotte-Meck school officials forwarded them tentative purpose and function amounts.
Dennis Covington, Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools' executive budget director, said when the school board revises the budget next month they'll provide final purpose and function numbers. It's those numbers that the school board will need permission from commissioners if they want to exceed by more than 10 percent.
"It wouldn't be right for us to set the amounts," said Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County's finance director. "We don't know the schools."
Since the Wake school district didn't set the purpose and function numbers, the changes made on Monday have to be reviewed to see if they deviate from the county budget ordinance by more than 15 percent.
Wake school board members questioned how commissioners had determined the different purpose and function amounts. For instance, board members wondered why commissioners had set the amount for special population services (aka special education) at 22 percent less than what the district had budgeted.
"They must think we're like Lake Wobegon where all the children are above average," said school board member Beverley Clark.
Clark and other board members said it demonstrated how little respect they were being shown by commissioners compared to Mecklenburg.
Covington agreed it's "unfair" for the Wake school board to have to cut the budget without having a say in first setting the purpose and function amounts.
Covington said major problems ensured the one time that Mecklenburg commissioners had set the purpose and function amounts without checking with the school district.
Click here to see the purpose and function amounts that were in the budget requested by the Wake school board.
Click here to see the amounts set by commissioners.
Comments
Welcome to Socialist America
Fri, 12/12/2008 - 10:39 — ObserverNYThis country is so screwed.
Rhetorical admonishments
Fri, 12/12/2008 - 11:05 — Dadof3It grates my nerves to hear how "McChimpy BusHitler's" Gitmo-destined helicopters were going to sweep up dissent any day now. Yet, a decidedly diametric election result puts the kibosh on that silliness. Now, my side of the aisle is glibbly spouting glib its doomsday pronouncements. We got through so much in history, we'll get through this.
It is so tiring.
and to Ms. Clarke perhaps we
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 16:39 — bigwinnieand to Ms. Clarke perhaps we COULD BE Lake Wobegone, if only you would focus on EDUCATION over busing for diversity, think of that....money towards AG service instead of diesel, smaller class sizes instead of shifting demographics from school to schools, should I go on?
Lake Wobegon ?
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 16:15 — Voice_of_Reason_Ms. Clark -Your use of a fictional place just confirms my belief that you live in fantasy. TWIT also to mind [i.e. THE WOBEGON INTELLIGENCE TEST (T.W.I.T.)]
http://www.bouldertherapist.com/html/humor/MentalHealthHumor/wobegon_intelligence_test.htm
RESPECT !
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 15:53 — Voice_of_Reason_Respect is earned, not granted. Especially when the positions are equal or lower.
P.S. Char-Meck should but out of Wake issues!
Wake County School board needs to be elected county wide
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 15:42 — Paul Terrell III-33rd State House candidate (not verified)The only way to solve this issue is to elect the school board county wide on a two schedule with the national elections to save money. To keep continuity we can do this so no more than 3 are being elected at any one time.
Then maybe we can give the school board some monetary responsibilities. At the moment the Wake County school board has wasted millions on building schools and land transfer issues.
You think your county taxes went up alot this time. Try voting in more liberals and see how fast you make for the county line. And i would also like to admonish the City of Raleigh for raising taxes on the back of the poor, families, and elederly.
"For instance, board members
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 14:03 — shank56"For instance, board members wondered why commissioners had set the amount for special population services (aka special education) at 22 percent less than what the district had budgeted. "
Maybe the CC need these funds to cover the credit card fraud that has just been discovered . Sure has dropped out of the news quickly hasn't it? Where are Gurley, Coble and Gardner now that we need someone to demand a thorough pubic investigation and audit?
Above average?
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 13:34 — Anonymous (not verified)Do we have evidence that these children are above average?
SO!
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 13:09 — g88ky07BoE idiots stretch EVERY SINGLE THING that spews from their pie holes!
Above average
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 11:05 — shearertwBev...
The kids ARE above your definition of average. The problem is, the school system is below average. Spend more on real education. All kid's should be challenged.
The repeated failures of your social engineering, dismal quality of the eduction the system provides, under representation of a huge portion of the county (i.e. SW Wake) have led to unrepairable mistrust of the BoE. The CC is just reflecting the public's mistrust of the BoEs management. At this point, the less power you have the better.
Wake school leaders "stretch
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 10:22 — bigwinnieWake school leaders "stretch the truth a bit" by trying to compare with Char/Meck. they only do so when it suits them, i.e. budget issues. What about the busing policy=different than Char/Meck, what about voting for BoE=different in Char/Meck but they won't talk about or publically recognize those differences will they? and only people truly immersed in the school boondoggles will understand the difference in school systems, those without a dog in the fight, won't know or care about the subtleties like that and that's what the BoE counts on...big whine for the media time over budgets, and underplay all the differences.
can't have your cake and eat it too, unless they go with head to head comparisions, and I do not see that happening.
There is a difference.......
Thu, 06/26/2008 - 09:28 — WuptdoIf I seem to recall, the Char-Meck School Board is one of the 87 county's with "at-large" seats. Seems to me that is an indication of a School Board with a much more boarder political base in which it has to appease. With that in mind, I can understand why the MCC's would give them more control of their School budget, because that are more ACCOUNTABLE to the public with "at-large" seats. Also, the Char-Meck School District/School Board actually listens and values the opinions of the taxpayer, parents, and children. When you do the "right" thing by the voters & parents, good things will always happen. WCPSS Management and the Wake BoE(eR) could learn a lot for them.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.