What if the school board didn't build schools?
Currently it's up to the Guilford County school board to figure out when and how to build schools, though county commissioners chairman Kirk Perkins is open to the possibility of that changing.
At a regional meeting for the state commissioners association, he heard about what Wake County is considering: taking the responsibility, planning and execution of building schools away from the school board.
"And it hit a bell with me that in Guilford County, (the board of commissioners) could take care of school construction projects," he said. "We could take that from the school board and they could concentrate on educating kids."
In a way, the Board of Commissioners has a say over what the Board of Education can build. The commissioners decide how much county money schools receive each year - which takes about 40 percent of the county's approximately $550 million budget.
The idea is far from fruition in Guilford County. But taking on school construction did intrigue Perkins, he said after the meeting he attended Wednesday in Raleigh for North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
The NACC represents county boards across the state and advocates on their behalf to the state legislature.
The meeting Perkins attended gives commissioners across the region an idea of what state legislators will be asked to focus on from the counties as the General Assembly goes into another session May 13.
Perkins said that with the presentation on school construction, other topics such as state road funding and Medicaid funding received time.
Comments (2)
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Great idea! I sincerely hope the County Commissioners do take over the building requirements for the schools. For too long a certain contractor has been literally given money for bad work due to having someone on the school board as a live in partner. We need a bit of sanity on this and several other boards and commissions, but don't seem likely to get it.
Posted on April 3, 2008 10:03 AM
The question is: What do School Board Members Do?
The answer is: Nobody knows!
They should concentrate on what is happening inside the schools --- with students, teachers, principals, etc.
In Guilford County, last year, the School Board paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to put "sod" on the new Northern School football field! Why "Northern"? That would never happen in another district!
They spent a couple of months fighting citizens regarding their school name (in two school districts).
Why wasn't there insurance coverage in place to rebuild Eastern?
Americans across the nation need to "CLEAN HOUSE".
We need to elect new State Representatives and Senators (also, Governors, city and county officials --- and don't forget School Board Members). We need people in office who will stand up for us --- pay attention to us --- do what is best for us.
We are: "We the people of the United States"!
Think before you vote!
Posted on April 30, 2008 1:49 PM