The Raleigh Report by Cullie Tarleton for August 23, 2010

Government

August 23, 2010. RALEIGH -- Each week, Blowing Rock News is pleased to bring you The Raleigh Report, penned by State Representative Cullie Tarleton, a resident of Blowing Rock and Watauga County. Please click on READ MORE below to see Rep. Tarleton's report for the week of August 23, 2010.

The Raleigh Report

From the Office of Representative Cullie Tarleton

Education is one of the most important services of government in North Carolina and all of us agree that providing a good education for our young people is critical for the success of our state. I am a member of both the House Education Committee and the House Education Appropriations Committee where I serve as Vice Chairman. I have shared an overview with you in the past few weeks of some key accomplishments in education from this past session. This week, I wanted to share a fuller accounting of our education budget, including those areas where we added money and those places where we had to cut back to balance our budget. If you have any questions or if I can be of service to you, please contact me. I can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 828-295-3353. Thank you as always for your interest in North Carolina and state government.

Public Schools

Prevented layoffs of any instructional personnel in K-12 by adjusting the lottery receipts budgeted for classroom teachers. Also redirected $16.8 million from the Lottery Reserve and $19.3 million in projected over realized revenues - $126 million.
Restored proposed cuts for assistant principals - $4.5 million.
Provided on a nonrecurring basis for the purchase of replacement textbooks for emergency situations. The State Board of Education shall develop rules and guidelines for the allocation of these funds - $5 million.
Reduced the annual appropriation for the North Carolina Window on Student Education (NC WISE), as this project is deployed and is in operations and maintenance phase. Also there is a nonrecurring reduction of the cash balance - ($12 million).
Eliminated 26 positions in order to find efficiencies and reduce redundancy in the Department of Public Instruction Technology Services area. The reduction included departmental NC WISE positions, Offices of the Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Technology Business Services, and Project Management. NC WISE has been deployed, reducing the need for personnel - ($2.8 million).
There was also significant legislation passed to reform low-performing schools (SB 704); improve the graduation rate (HB 1877) and to identify and assist at-risk students earlier (HB 1875).

Community Colleges

Fully funded enrollment growth to help pay for the 16 percent increase (34,118 students) in enrollment - $85 million.
Provided funds for the purchase of instructional equipment and technology at all 58 colleges. These funds are in addition to the $43.3 million included in the base budget for this purpose. Funds shall be distributed in accordance with the existing equipment formula - $4 million.
Restored the reduction made to the Small Business Center allotment in 2009. This funding was added to each college’s base allocation. With this restoration, the total funding available for this program will be $5.75 million - $402,861.
Provided funds to assist Minority Male Mentoring programs at community colleges. These funds will be distributed through a competitive application process - $900,000.
Reduced funds, bringing the total management flexibility reduction for this fiscal year to $36 million. The State Board of Community Colleges shall distribute the flexibility reduction, accounting for the unique needs of each college. Each college shall have the flexibility to adjust its budget to implement this reduction, but shall not impact those activities directly involved in retraining displaced workers - ($22.75 million).

UNC System

Mandated a management flexibility reduction for the UNC operating budget with a priority on non-teaching related budget cuts. This reduction is in addition to the $100 million management flexibility reduction already authorized - ($139 million).
Abolished 47 positions in the UNC system that had been vacant two years or longer - ($2.5 million).
Repealed the in-state tuition break for out-of-state student athletes - ($9.4 million).
Increased the UNC system enrollment growth funding to the $53 million - $5.6 million.
Repealed legislative tuition rates and restored the associated appropriation reduction - $34.8 million.
Increased UNC need-based financial aid - $12 million.
Increased funding to the Legislative Tuition Grant and the State Contractual Scholarship Fund for a 2.9 percent growth in enrollment in FY 2010-11 - $4.6 million.

Notes

The North Carolina General Assembly has developed a $13 million grant program to target students at risk of dropping out of school. Grants are for a maximum of $175,000 and are given to innovative programs and initiatives that demonstrate the potential to be developed into effective, sustainable, and replicable dropout prevention and re-entry programs in middle schools and high schools. The deadline for the latest cycle of grants is Aug. 31. For more information, visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/dropout/grants/applicants/2010/.

Please remember that you can listen to interim committee meetings and press conferences on the General Assembly’s website at www.ncleg.net. Once on the site, select "Audio," and then make your selection – House Chamber, Senate Chamber, Appropriations Committee Room or Press Conference Room.

Comments:

Facebook

Download SocComments

Move

Latest Updates

Top Headline

Other Headlines

By David Rogers. May 18, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Important regional and macro economic developments are bringing changes to the High Country -- however much many in the community are not embracing it. With...

Staff Report. May 17, 2012. BOONE -- Blowing Rock News has received the following report from Boone Police. Comments: Facebook Download SocComments

By David Rogers. May 17, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Providing new evidence that the High Country real estate market is recovering, Blue Ridge Mountain Club (BRMC) reported to Blowing Rock News today in an exclusive...

By David Rogers. May 12, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- With hundreds of art lovers crammed into the American Legion parking lot and Wallingford St. parking deck for Art in the Park, first year exhibitor Full Circle...

By David Rogers. May 16, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- An estimated 80 area business owners and managers got tours of the newly remodeled Maple Lodge guest rooms and meeting facilities, now owned and affiliated...

By A. Buchbinder. May 15, 2012. HICKORY, NC - The Hickory Crawdads fell to the Hagerstown Suns, 12-4, before 1,048 fans at L.P. Frans Stadium on Tuesday night. Comments: Facebook Download SocComments...

Weather

55°

13°

°F | °C

Clear

Humidity: 100%

Wind: N at 0 mph

Fri

46 | 70

7 | 21

Sat

46 | 73

7 | 22

Sun

46 | 75

7 | 23

Mon

52 | 75

11 | 23

Free Subscription

Community News

TOMORROW'S BLOWING ROCK: New Editorial Series
By David Rogers. May 18, 2012. BLOWING ROCK -- Important regional and macro economic developments are bringing changes to the High Country -- however much many in the community are not embracing it. With the widening of U.S. 321, Blowing Rock is quite literally at an important crossroads in its economic history.

Comments:
Facebook Download SocComments