Orange County Commissioners Discussing Education Funding Thursday Night

Orange County manager Bonnie Hammersley is proposing a $174 increase in per-pupil funding in her recommended budget. But that recommendation still falls short of what each school district in the county is requesting.

Hammersley is proposing a total of $109.1 million for the county’s two districts – Orange County Schools and Chapel Hill – Carrboro City Schools. That figure represents 50.1 percent of Hammersley’s overall budget, which checks in above the 48.1 percent target previously established by the commissioners.

The $174 per-pupil increase being proposed is below $396 increase requested by Orange County and the $253 increase request from Chapel Hill – Carrboro.

Both school districts must receive the same per-pupil funding from the county, per state law.

County documents cite projections from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in reporting there is a projected decrease of nearly 200 students in Orange County Schools, which could be attributed in part to an increase of 152 students from the district moving to charter schools. Chapel Hill – Carrboro City School projections show an increase of 235 students in the district.

Increased costs projections for the upcoming fiscal year include anticipated teacher raises in the budget being negotiated by Republicans in the General Assembly. The increase is not expected to rise to the funding level in Governor Roy Cooper’s proposed budget. In addition to proposed teacher raises, Cooper is advocating for increased funding to hire school support personnel. He unveiled those details in a visit to Cedar Ridge High School in Orange County last month.

Thousands of teachers from across the state rallied in Raleigh last week on the first day of the short legislative session calling for an increase in education funding.

The county has held two public hearings on the budget, which commissioners will work to finalize before the summer break.

Thursday’s work session is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Whitted Building in Hillsborough.