Over
the past five years, Guilford Education Alliance has applauded the
Board of County Commissioners for maintaining local funding to
Guilford County Schools. Our county commissioners did so while their
counterparts in other counties, particularly in sister urban
districts, cut into the local funding of their schools.
And
remember, these cuts were being made at a time when the state cut
millions from education funding as well.
Guilford
Education Alliance applauds the Guilford County Board of Education,
Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green and his staff as well. Because
of their leadership our schools maintained stability and earned
amazing growth in academic achievement, in spite of the almost $75
million in state funding the school district lost in cuts and
redirections since 2009.
During
these incredibly lean years Guilford County Schools still managed to
kick off new initiatives as outlined in the 2013 Strategic Plan, such
as Character Education and Service Learning, a program that has
received national recognition; having traditional high schools lead
those across the state in graduation rates and Middle College/Early
College high schools with 100 percent graduation rates; launching and
building new schools; maintaining support for arts/music education
and initiating the African American male initiative; and lifting up
teachers and principals to North Carolina recognition levels.
We
must not let this growth and achievement be threatened by continued
cuts. We must begin to restore the impact the cuts have made such as
adding 60+ more teachers for our students, and beginning to restore
class size to previous levels.
Added
to the pressures of having fewer resources for academic programs have
been the increasing costs of line items such as utilities and
retirement benefits and health care coverage for employees. And these
are just the expenses to keep the doors open. Enrollment continues to
increase in Guilford County Schools while Charter Schools siphon
funding away from our public schools.
Guilford
Education Alliance regards the Annual Budget for our schools as the
“meat and potatoes,” the central ingredients for our district’s
success. Funding public education is necessary to ensure each child
gets the instruction and attention he/she needs to be fully prepared
for success in life.
Guilford
Education Alliance agrees that IT'S TIME for our community to STEP UP
and support our children, parents and teachers with action. Guilford
Education Alliance is calling on our county commissioners and school
board to be visionaries once more and approve Superintendent Green's
request for appropriate funding of Guilford County Schools.
The
school board is expected to adopt a budget during its May 14 meeting,
including a request for local funding from the county. A public
hearing on the proposed county budget, including the school board's
request, has not been scheduled yet.
