The state's teacher lobby is claiming victory in the budget battle. In an e-mail message to members, the N.C. Association of Educators praised the current budget plan, which they said protected K-12 classrooms.

In a bold move by a first-term governor and General Assembly facing an economic downturn unseen since the Great Depression, class size in all grades are protected from increases in the 2009-2010 budget bill being considered this evening by the General Assembly.

Under the final version of the budget released publicly this morning, thousands of teachers, teacher assistants and support personnel are expected to return to work for the 2009-2010 school year. (Early media reports that class size was only protected in grades K-3 were based on an earlier version of the budget that is not under consideration today by the General Assembly.)

Uh, which budget are you reading, NCAE?

From the budget the legislature approved Tuesday:

"Local school administrative units shall have the maximum flexibility to use allotted teacher positions to maximize student achievement in grades 4-12. Allocation requirements in grades K-3 shall remain unchanged."

Here's what that means: Local school boards will be cut a total of $225 million. The state will allow local officials to move money around and best decide how to make those cuts while protecting the classroom.

But $225 million is a big hit. Rep. Ray Rapp, a Mars Hill Democrat and education co-chairman told the House Tuesday, that despite the flexibility granted to school officials in the budget, some class sizes will increase.

"There will have to be probably some expansion of classroom sizes in grades four to 12," Rapp said.

More after the jump.

   Comments (4)

SEANC is airing more ads against state legislators.

The State Employees Association of North Carolina is running radio ads against Reps. Ray Rapp of Madison County and Van Braxton of Lenoir County, both Democrats. 

As part of an ongoing campaign, ads criticize the legislators for voting for a bill designed to keep the State Health Plan afloat.

"Legislators need to understand this issue is not going away," said Executive Director Dana Cope in a statement. "We will hold them accountable when they make bad decisions, and SEANC will educate constituents when their legislators decide to put a multi-million dollar nonprofit's interests ahead of North Carolina taxpayers."

Previous ads have targeted Senate Majority Leader Hugh Holliman and Reps. Margaret Dickson, Bruce Goforth and Pryor Gibson. 

House education budget writers are deferring to their bosses on whether to propose teacher furloughs for the next two school years.

Chairs of the House education appropriations subcommittee said the chairs of the overall appropriations committee will decide whether to propose a 5-day teacher furlough for the 2009-2010 school year and a ten-day furlough for the following year.

The idea would save an estimated $100 million in the '09-'10 year and $200 millin in the '10 - '11 school year.

"A furlough lets us keep people" employed, said Rep. Ray Rapp, a Madison County Democrat and co-chair of the education subcommittee.

Local school districts can decide how to impose the furloughs, such as shortening the school year, canceling teacher work days or otherwise spreading the days out over the year.

The House Education Committee approved a watered-down version of a bill that puts on paper legislators' displeasure with the graduation project that public school students must complete to earn diplomas.

House Bill 223 basically rubber-stamps an action the State Board of Education took last month by delaying the requirement for one year, Lynn Bonner reports.

Under the bill and the state board's April vote, the requirement is delayed until 2011, though local school boards can still require a project as a graduation requirement for 2010.

The bill would also require the legislative program evaluation division study the project's cost and effectiveness.

Rep. Jimmy Love Sr., a Sanford Democrat, opposed the requirement first as an unfunded mandate. He later started to worry later the requirement would increase the drop out rate.

More after the jump.

   Comments (1)

Rep. Ray Rapp is pushing ahead on a furlough bill.

The Madison County Democrat said that Gov. Beverly Perdue's announcement that she has signed an executive order allowing furloughs of state workers is not stopping him.

Rapp and Perdue have different views on her authority. Rapp believes the governor needs legislative permission to furlough state workers, while the governor has said it's not necessary.

"It's important for the legislation to get through the House and the Senate quickly and get her signature on it so that if there are constitutional questions, they won't be a problem," he said.

The bill also includes wording that says it does not preclude the governor's contention that she already has the authority.

"It'll complement — not undercut — what she's trying to do," he said.

A substitute version of the bill to be discussed this afternoon calls for voluntary furloughs to be tried first. It also limits furloughs to 10 days this fiscal year and 20 days next year.

It would sunset on June 30, 2011.

A bill moving through the House would set restrictions on when state employees could be furloughed.

The bill would establish that the governor could order furloughs in economic emergencies as a last resort. Furloughs would be capped at 20 days and only employees who earn more than $30,000 could be furloughed.

"Given the choice between being fired or furloughed, it seems to me this is the more humane choice," said Rep. Ray Rapp, a Mars Hill Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill.

Rapp said Gov. Beverly Perdue has told him she believes she already has the authority to order furloughs, which she has said she would avoid. Rapp said a 2002 Attorney General's opinion casts that authority in doubt.

The bill appeared before a House committee Tuesday and members heard from a lobbyits for the State Employees Association of North Carolina. Suzanne Beasley Malysz said mandatory furloughs would be yet another blow to state employees who will see no raises and increases in their health insurance this year. And keeping state employees at home will affect state services.

"There are many citizens who are going to suffer if you start cutting people who provide those valuable services," she said.

Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat and another co-sponsor of the bill, said that because of the state's budget deficit, currently estimated to be more than $3 billion, furloughs will be necessary.

"I think it is fanciful and wishful thinking at best to think we won't have to," Glazier said. "These kinds of options are going to have to be on the table."

The bill will likely eventually be combined with another bill that allows state employees to volunteer for furloughs.

Recent House bills of note:

H.B. 661: City Managers on School Boards, Rep. Ray Warren

H.B. 677: Require a "First in Flight" Background, Reps. Lucy Allen, Lorene Coates, Nelson Cole and Becky Carney

H.B. 691: State Contracts/Slavery Profits, Reps. Larry Womble, Earl Jones, Annie Mobley and Earline Parmon

H.B. 708: Furlough of State Employees, Reps. Ray Rapp, Rick Glazier and Margaret Dickson

H.B. 711: Sales Tax Fairness Act, Reps. Winkie Wilkins and Dale Folwell

H.B. 724: Open Records Attorneys' Fees, Reps. George Cleveland and Curtis Blackwood

* Rep. Ray Rapp files a bill that would give Gov. Beverly Perdue the authority to furlough state workers, which she says she won't do.

* Greensboro News-Record's Mark Binker thinks Civitas' polling on gay marriage may have "established a norm" by referring to other states.

* Bill to help members of the military renew their drivers licenses while deployed passes House. Idea came from Army reservist Rep. Ric Killian.

* Democratic consultant Gary Pearce highlights Sen. Charlie Albertson's bill to prevent sports teams from playing if school scores are low.

Some recent House bills of note:

H.B. 593: Change School Starting Date, Reps. Paul Luebke, Martha Alexander, Bob England and Ray Rapp

H.B. 611: Check-Off Donation: Breast Cancer Screening, Reps. Nelson Dollar, Carolyn Justice, Lucy Allen and England

H.B. 614: Absentee Voting Improvements, Reps. Grier Martin, Rick Glazier, Marian McLawhorn and Rapp

H.B. 626: Restraining of Dogs, Reps. Douglas Yongue, Susan Fisher, Danny McComas and Justin Burr

H.B. 630: Capitalize National Guard in Statutes, Reps. Martin, Cullie Tarleton and Ric Killian

H.B. 644: Misdemeanor/Not Produce Public Records, Reps. George Cleveland and Burr