Anti-Gang Initiative

The News and Observer reported that, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Wake and Durham counties have been chosen to participate in a “comprehensive anti-gang initiative” that includes $2.5 million in federal funding. The Triangle is one of four regions across the country receiving this latest round of federal money to thwart gang-related crimes. Wake and Durham will split the money 50-50. Deputy Attorney General Mark R. Filip said at a news conference at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport that $1 million of the funding will go toward efforts to prevent young people from joining gangs. Another $1 million will be used by law enforcement for criminal prosecution, with the remaining $500,000 used to help  former gang members make a successful transition after they are released from prison.

http://www.newsobserver.com/print/wednesday/city_state/story/1071750.html

Gov’s Budget Proposes 6% salary increase

Teachers and Principals can expect can expect significant salary increases, if legislators side with Governor Easley’s $21.5 billion budget, which he unveiled Monday morning.  

 

The Governor appropriated $302.7 million as a step increase plus a $2,000 flat increase for public school teachers and administrators, equaling an average of 7 percent increase for teachers and a 6 percent increase for administrators.

 

To increase teachers’ salary to the national average, the Governor proposes to increase the cigarette tax from 35 cents a pack to 55 cents a pack.  The projected revenue of $116 million would subsidize the salary increases.

 

“Whenever there is an economic slow down, we cannot make that an educational slow down,” said the Governor. 

 

With a $150 million revenue surplus, North Carolina is one of the few states that appear to be resilient to the nation’s economic turn down.  The Governor and his team still remain fiscally responsible when developing the FY 08-09 budget. 

 

“This is the first year, since my first budget, that I’ve lowered economic projections,” said Easley.  The Governor lowered his projections to 3.5 percent, a 1.2 percent decrease from last year’s.  The 1.2 percent equates a $250 million decrease.  In addition the Governor made $400 million in cuts throughout the budget. 

 

Governor Easley’s budget provides an additional $492 million for public schools, a 6.4 percent increase over the FY 07-08 budget. 

 

Additional highlights in the educational budget include an incensement of 6,345 slots in More at Four classrooms and an expansion of the Governor’s Learn and Earn High School program, which would provide 16 planning grants for sites that will become operational for the 2009-10 academic year. 

 

Appropriations for transportation fuel were adjusted for the FY 08-09 to be funded at the current average per gallon, which is $2.86.  The Governor’s budgeting office assures public schools that full funding is available for fuel for the remainder for the FY 07-08.  With incensement in fuel prices every day, the N.C. Association of School Administrators will be lobbying for an increase in appropriated fuel funds. 

 

Other budgetary concerns include a decreased in funding for instructional supplies, textbooks and exceptional children head-count. Joint Legislative Education Oversight committee and the School Funding committee both have recommendations that are in opposition to these cuts.

 

Contrary to teacher and principal salary increases, the Governor appropriated $109.5 million for a 1.5 percent salary increase for all state employees and additional $182 million in nonrecurring funds for a one-time, lump-sum bonus of $1,000 and 5 days leave for employees in state-funded positions not subject to the teacher salary schedule. 

 

Finally Governor Easley proposes a 1.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment for retirees. 

 

The General Assembly was briefed on the Governor’s budget on Tuesday.  The House will be the fist chamber to draft and propose their budget.  Leaders from both chambers assure that this will be a “short” short session.   

PENC’s 2008 Young Artists’ Competition

PENC is currently accepting electronic entries for its 2nd annual Young Artists’ Competition. The goal of this project is to highlight the hard work of North Carolina’s visual art teachers and their students.

 

Six works of art will be selected as the winning entries by a PENC panel of judges during the summer of 2008. The pieces will be displayed permanently in the PENC office in Raleigh, on the PENC website and may be used in future publications. The six winning entrants will receive an award of $50.00 and a certificate of achievement from PENC. The art teachers will also be presented with a certificate at the fall board meeting in 2008. PENC is looking forward to receiving the wonderful work from all around our great state!

 

Submission Guidelines:

• The work needs to be two-dimensional and created by a student in a North Carolina School (including charter, magnet and private schools).
• An art teacher must enter a digital photo of the student’s artwork electronically.
• The competition is open to any art teacher, so long as the teacher is currently employed by a North Carolina public or private school.
• One entry per student.
• All submissions must be emailed by the art teacher to artawards@pencweb.org
• The e-mail submission must include:
  • A clear, non-blurry, digital photo of the work
  • The full name of the student(s), school, and grade level (Please check your county/school policy on student work being published).
  • Your (teacher) name, title, telephone number, email address and your school address.
• All submissions must be received by 5:00 pm on Friday, June 20, 2008.
• The winners and their teachers will be notified by Friday, August 29, 2008.
• Arrangements for release forms and transportation for the winning pieces will be made by PENC in conjunction with the teacher and paid for by PENC.

Questions?

Visit our website, www.PENCWEB.org, or contact Jeffrey Elmore, NCAEA member

and PENC Vice President or Carol Vandenbergh, Executive Director at

artawards@pencweb.org or call 800.542.8844

Testing and Accountability Report: SBE Discussion Today!

The draft report Framework for Change: The Next Generation of Assessment and Accountability that was authored by a working group of the State Board and DPI staff for discussion today by the full Board. The draft report contains actions the State Board is directing DPI to implement relative to the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Testing and Accountability. It is expected that formal action will take place in June. You are encouraged to listen to the State Board media stream that is available. Discussion will begin at 1:00 pm.Media Stream link:

http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/sbe_meetings/08sbemedia.html

2008-2009 SBE Budget Priorities

The N.C. State Board of Education’s budget priorities were presented to the Joint Education Appropriations committee on Tuesday.  The full 2008 request totals $385.7 million, which is a 5 percent of the current year’s budget.  A full list of priorities can be found at:  http://www.ncpapa.org

 

The focus of the Board’s priorities include, supporting a salary increase for teachers and school personnel and to extend learning for students through More at Four, Learn and Earn and Learn and Earn Online, and the Graduation Project.

 

The Board’s top priorities include:

·        Teacher Mentors-

o       Fund 1 full time mentor for every 15 newly hired teacher sin their 1^st through 3^rd year of teaching and for every 15 new instructional support personnel in their 1^st and 2^nd year.

o       $37,795,000

·        Connectivity-

o       Fully fund the needed target of $25 million.  Funded 12 million in FY 2007-08.

o       $12,000,000

·        21^st Century Classrooms-

o       Would equip 50 percent of middle school classrooms with digital white board, data projectors, computers, document cameras, and support personnel.

o       $59,823,504

·        Comprehensive Support for Districts and Schools-

o       Personnel/assessment cost to implement comprehensive support to all school districts.  Adds 47 positions with 9 being re-purposed.  Include funding for the 15.8 federal positions to be re-purposed to this initiative because the federal funding has been eliminated or significantly reduced.

o       $8,074,501

·        Children with Disabilities-

o       To reach funding at 230 percent of regular ADM funding, it will require an additional $100+ million.

o       $40,000,000

·        Academically and Intellectually Gifted-

o       Increases funding factor by 20 percent.

o       $12,796,372

·        DSSF-

o       Reduce allotment ratios by two and continue hold harmless to 16 original districts.

o       $86,231,773

·        Child Nutrition-

o       Cover the higher cost of operations due to implementing nutritional standards and salary/other cost increases.

o       $20,000,000

Principal Evaluation Anticipates Approval

The new School Executive: Principal Evaluation Instrument is being presented to the N.C. State Board of Education for approval this month.  The evaluation instrument can be viewed at:  http://www.ncpapa.org/forms/Evaluation%20Instrument.pdf. 

 

Since last month the definitions of the ratings have been clarified and a set of implementation policies have been developed.  The implantation policies instructs the instrument to not be used at a portfolio, requires school executives be evaluated annually, and directs all principals and those responsible for their evaluations to complete state-approved training on the new instrument. 

 

The policies will be presented to the 21^st Century Professional Committee for discussion this month.  A full report of the discussion will posted on the Principals’ Bulletin after the meeting on Wednesday. 

 

We’re Blogging!

In our efforts to continually keep our members better informed the N.C. Principals & Assistant Principals’ Association (NCPAPA) is excited to unveil our newest communication tool, The Principals’ Bulletin. 

 

The Principals’ Bulletin is an informational blog for North Carolina principals and assistant principals that will be updated daily, providing you with timely, useful information including, legislative alerts, professional development opportunities, state and federal policy updates, reminders, and much more. 

 

The education world is forever changing, and new information is available daily.  The visionaries at NCPAPA know that it is important to communicate to our membership on a daily basis, but we didn’t want to inundate your email inboxes.  Both of our national affiliates, the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, are currently using blogs to communicate to their memberships.  NCPAPA felt it was time for us to venture into using this form of 21^st century communication, ourselves.   

 

You may access the blog by visiting www.ncpapa.org and clicking on The Principals’ Bulletin link.  Or you may save: http://ncpapaprincipalsbulletin.wordpress.com in your favorites menu on your desk top.  It is our hope that a visit to The Principals’ Bulletin will become part of your daily routine.

 

Happy Blogging!