Wake County Board of Education discusses '21-'22 budget proposal, calendar changes, new downtown development

That’s according to a presentation from the district to the county board of education Tuesday afternoon. After presenting the district’s budget proposal earlier this month, the district officials presented a several-page document to board members during their finance committee meeting, responding to various questions officials have received since that presentation April 6.

The board is reviewing the district’s proposed $1.9 billion budget proposal and must submit a final request for local funds to Wake County commissioners by May 15. The board next meets May 4, the last full board meeting before that date.

On Tuesday, board members expressed frustration that the district’s proposed budget doesn’t include higher pay increases for workers not yet earning $15 per hour or more funding for support professionals, such as mental health professionals.

Superintendent Cathy Q. Moore is recommending a $28.2 million budget increase from Wake County commissioners, what would amount to a 5.5% county funding increase, mostly to address students’ emotional health.

“I’m disappointed in a lot of this… in a post-pandemic time when kids are going to come in with a lot of issues,” Board Member Roxie Cash said. Cash wants to the district to invest in more personnel, or at least provide a temporary increase, to improve the number of health and mental health professionals available in schools.

Moore said the district has done contract hiring for social-emotional supports but cautioned against trying to budget for more mental health professionals permanently, noting the problem with hiring them isn’t necessarily money to pay them as much as it’s “the availability of people” to hire. Moore is proposing a budget increase, in part, to hire more school psychologists.

The board has already approved plans to raise wages to $15 per hour for employees not yet earning that, but district officials said Tuesday that will take years and at least $55 million more.

Wake County’s contribution to the school district’s budget is about 28% of the district’s proposed budget, or $544.2 million. The county's current contribution to the school district’s budget — representing more than a third of the county’s $1.4 million budget — goes to the school district, about $527.9 million.

Moore wants to make permanent a one-time $11.9 million budget increase the county gave the school district last spring during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also wants to add $16.3 million to, among other things, increase the number of school counselors, psychologists and social workers.

The district asked that increase last year, but it was not included. Moore is asking for it again because of the stress the pandemic has had on children.

But most of the district’s funding comes from the state, an anticipated nearly $1.1 billion next year.

Last year, the Legislature “held harmless” the funding of the state’s 115 traditional public school districts, which is typically based on a measure of enrollment.

But most school districts, including the Wake County Public School System, experienced enrollment declines this year, an abnormality many blamed on the pandemic keeping many children from starting kindergarten.

What state funding will be is among the uncertainties complicating the district’s budget planning process.

Federal waivers on school lunches could impact how many students can be served meals and where, said Paula De Lucca, district senior director of Child Nutrition Services. The district already must sell additional non-lunch items to cover the overhead cost of administering free and reduced lunches that isn’t covered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The district hasn’t been able to do that, and current federal policy for next year could hamper delivery of meals to virtual students who don’t pick them up at school.

The district doesn’t yet know how it will use or be able to use all of the hundreds of millions of dollars anticipated in federal stimulus money.

At least 20% of the latest round of stimulus money, which the district hasn’t yet received, must be for accelerated learning for students who may have fallen behind this school year.

The district has plans for at least some of the funds, to help restore cuts made during the past school year. That includes custodian contracts, workshops, substitute pay for sick leave, and other cuts that were made because of the delayed return to the classroom.

The board also discussed changing next year’s calendar for 12 schools that are Single-Track 4 year-round schools.

The current calendar, which calls for 45 instructional days followed by 15 vacation days, isn’t permitted under North Carolina law.

While district officials hope for a law change, they told the board Tuesday they believe the time had come to finalize the calendar for parents, students and school employees.

The school year will begin July 20 and end June 14, 2022, providing 180 instructional days. It will still resemble Track 4 to an extent but will not fully align.

Board members lamented the need to change the calendar Tuesday.

Board Member Jim Martin said he was frustrated that the district would be forced to create another calendar, on top of the existing 13. Board Member Monika Johnston-Hostler said changes to those 12 schools have an impact beyond those schools, as parents who are school employees already try to align their work calendar and their children’s school calendar.

The 10 elementary schools that would have to change, under the district’s proposal, are: Barwell Road, Duran Road, Hodge Road, Lake Myra, Lockhart, Rand Rd, Timber Drive, Vance, Walnut Creek and Wilburn. The two middle schools are Durant Road and North Garner.

Board of Education officials questioned the impact Tuesday of a proposed new development project south of downtown Raleigh.

The Downtown South project, planned by Kane Realty Corporation, will be a commercial development, though the company wants additional partners to enhance the project.

The company has already committed to building office, event and apartment space and infrastructure to support it.

But Chief Operating Officer and former Raleigh City Councilman Bonner Gaylord said the company wants to partner with the school district on the possibility of opening a new school in the development. A school could provide students with access to business and other opportunities many students don’t have, he said.

But board members questioned whether a new school in a sleek new development would seem accessible to students across the district.

Board Member Christine Kushner said developers could work with existing schools south of downtown, rather than focusing on working with a new school.

Board members also questioned how the development would raise property values and potentially reduce the diversity of the area and the schools in the area. While the project could result in some increase property tax revenue that would benefit the county and school district, board members also questioned whether any tax breaks might hamper tax revenue.

Gaylord said the development is committing 10% of residential units to affordable housing.

Developers can build much of the project without additional help from the county or partners, Gaylord said. But additional projects would require partnerships, he said.

The board heard a presentation from Gaylord on Tuesday night as an information item and did not take a vote.