School funding strengthens county
The following is a Counterpoint column:
By Mark Jewell
On behalf of all schoolchildren in Guilford County, the Guilford County Council of PTAs Executive Board and the Guilford County Association of Educators (GCAE) ask the Guilford County commissioners and state legislators to properly fund Guilford County Schools. We must go beyond the "bare bones" approach to financing schools. We must fund a budget that provides for smaller class size, competitive wages, adequate planning time and a safe environment conducive to high academic achievement.
As the third-largest school district in North Carolina, Guilford County Schools has experienced tremendous changes. Since 1997, we have enrolled more than 8,000 additional students -- an 11 percent increase in student population. In addition, the needs of our students are increasing. Forty-six percent of our students now receive free or reduced-price lunch, and a sobering 25,000 students live in poverty. Eighty-two different languages are spoken; 4,635, or approximately 7 percent, of our students receive English Speakers of Other Languages services.
Further, over the past 30 years, our state's contribution to public school funding has declined from 52 percent to a dismal 38 percent. In addition, Guilford County Schools must bear the cost of unfunded mandates at both the state and federal levels, such as No Child Left Behind and state funding caps for students with disabilities. As our county grows and state funding declines, our schools will face further staff cuts and larger numbers of students in each class unless we have additional local funding. Currently, we rank only 10th in North Carolina in the amount of local funding per pupil.
Our schools must have the resources to provide Guilford County students with the education and tools necessary to compete in today's rapidly changing job market. If we want Guilford County to grow and continue to be an economically viable area for companies to locate, we must be able to offer those companies a highly educated work force. Let us do what is right for our children and our community. We urge you to contact county commissioners and state legislators and encourage them to properly fund our schools. It is in everyone's best interest to invest in our schools and in our future by making education a top priority in Guilford County.
The writer is GCAE president.
Comments (4)
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The Public Has no trust in our superintendent or school board. They have proven time and again their ability to waste money.
Until their is change on their part to involve common sense in their decisions, the Public will continue to balk at the idea of giving them more money to throw away.
Posted on June 3, 2005 7:21 AM
I appreciate Mr. Jewell's letter. I do not think the Guilford County School Board nor the teachers in the system are wasting my tax money. I am grateful for the efforts of the teachers my children were fortunate to have. I am grateful for having the opportunity to participate in public school educational activities to see first hand how money is spent. I would encourage any citizen to volunteer time in the schools to help our teachers.
Posted on June 3, 2005 12:20 PM
Kurt, I agree with you about the teachers. However, I am surprised you don't think that Crossroads diversity training rouse is a waste of your taxpayer monies.
Posted on June 3, 2005 12:55 PM
Kurt,
Under no circumstances do I think Teachers are wasting our tax dollars.
To many times Teachers have had to spend their own $$$$ for materials that should have been supplied by our school system.
I am surprised that all Guilford County Teachers have not left for better situations in nearby counties.
Serving on PTA or committees at the schools does not allow a person to see the corruption that exist at the upper administration level.
WAKE UP PEOPLE....Your tax dollars are being robbed by a money hungry superintendent, who's school board is either to blind to see it happening, or they are his partners in crime.
Posted on June 3, 2005 5:06 PM