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.
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The NCAE message does acknowledge the possibility.
While local districts are explicitly prohibited from increasing class size in grades K-3, NCAE is mindful that a few misguided school districts ignoring federal stimulus guidelines may attempt to bump class size in grades 4-12 in order to eliminate teacher positions.
Local school officials are expecting to receive federal stimulus dollars to help avoid layoffs. But the problem, superintendents say, is that it's a risk to hire teachers based on money they don't yet have in hand.
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Re: NCAE: We won. Really.
They did nothing and that is why I quit my membership. I have 26 first graders when I should have no more than 24. My county will ask for a waiver and they will likely grant one. So...where did they win? I have my step increase frozen and even if the children did well on the testing, no bonus money. I can understand some of this but then why do I have more students, more work, but less compensation and they want to claim a victory?