District to Use Reserve Money for Year-Round School Conversions

RALEIGH, N.C. — A disagreement over money between Wake County commissioners and school board members will keep several year-round classrooms from opening in time for the start of next school year.

County commissioners withheld $4.7 million that school administrators said was needed to convert 22 traditional schools to year-round schedules and to move mobile classrooms to those schools.

School administrators said the year-round schools are needed to keep up with the district's booming enrollment.

The school board voted Tuesday to use money from its reserve fund to pay for the conversions and the mobile classrooms. But officials said the debate with the commissioners means that 22 of the 25 portable units won't be open in time for year-round classes to start in July.

The Board of Commissioners doesn't plan to block the district's attempt to shift funds to pay for the school conversions, Chairman Tony Gurley said.

"I would anticipate that we would not take action," Gurley said. "I'm not in favor of using taxpayer money to take legal action (against other boards)."