FW: Funding disparities at the high school level
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Susana Dancy
Mar 25, 2009, 5:11:06 PM3/25/09
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I sent this information to the school board this afternoon. The budget can be downloaded at: http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/dept/dept.php?sectionid=7181
------ Forwarded Message
From: Susana Dancy <susana...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:59:18 -0400
To: <allboar...@chccs.k12.nc.us>
Conversation: Funding disparities at the high school level
Subject: Funding disparities at the high school level
Dear School Board members,
I have been looking through the budget projections for schools and have been surprised by the disparity in per student allocations of funds among the three high schools. Looking at the Projected 2009-2010 expenses on pages 4-16, 4-17, and 4-18, I see the following:
Carrboro High School – 842 students
Expenditures GRAND TOTAL - $4,387,568
per student expenditures = $5,211
Chapel Hill High School – 1355 students
Expenditures GRAND TOTAL - $10,809,095
per student expenditures = $7,977
East Chapel Hill High School – 1475 students
Expenditures GRAND TOTAL - $10,940,122
per student expenditures = $7,417
I spoke with Ruby Pittman, Budget & Finance Executive Director, to verify this information. In the process, she discovered an error in utility projections for CHS, which should be $300,000 higher (about the same as the older, larger high schools). This would bring the per-pupil expenditures to $5,567, still substantially less than the other high schools.
Ms. Pittman also suggested that much of the disparity could be attributed to the less-experienced (and therefore lower-paid) staff at the new school. This complies with information in the NC Schools Report Cards, which shows that 31% of CHS teachers have 0-3 years of experience, compared with 18% of the teachers at CHHS and 21% of the teachers at ECHHS.
Additionally, I have learned from Child Nutrition Director Mark Rusin that 24.4 percent of CHS students qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, compared with 18 percent at Chapel Hill High School and 13 percent at East. This means that — under the current system of per pupil teacher allocations — Carrboro High School receives less money to teach more disadvantaged students with less experienced teachers. AND we ask them to teach many of their classes in a facility that lacks adequate and appropriate space.
Clearly, the formulas for allocation of resources need to be changed so that all of the high school students in our district — rich and poor, at large schools and at small ones — have an opportunity to receive a comparable education. The current system sets up the students at Carrboro High School to attend a second-tier school.
Sincerely,
Susana Dancy
------ End of Forwarded Message
------ Forwarded Message
From: Susana Dancy <susana...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:59:18 -0400
To: <allboar...@chccs.k12.nc.us>
Conversation: Funding disparities at the high school level
Subject: Funding disparities at the high school level
Dear School Board members,
I have been looking through the budget projections for schools and have been surprised by the disparity in per student allocations of funds among the three high schools. Looking at the Projected 2009-2010 expenses on pages 4-16, 4-17, and 4-18, I see the following:
Carrboro High School – 842 students
Expenditures GRAND TOTAL - $4,387,568
per student expenditures = $5,211
Chapel Hill High School – 1355 students
Expenditures GRAND TOTAL - $10,809,095
per student expenditures = $7,977
East Chapel Hill High School – 1475 students
Expenditures GRAND TOTAL - $10,940,122
per student expenditures = $7,417
I spoke with Ruby Pittman, Budget & Finance Executive Director, to verify this information. In the process, she discovered an error in utility projections for CHS, which should be $300,000 higher (about the same as the older, larger high schools). This would bring the per-pupil expenditures to $5,567, still substantially less than the other high schools.
Ms. Pittman also suggested that much of the disparity could be attributed to the less-experienced (and therefore lower-paid) staff at the new school. This complies with information in the NC Schools Report Cards, which shows that 31% of CHS teachers have 0-3 years of experience, compared with 18% of the teachers at CHHS and 21% of the teachers at ECHHS.
Additionally, I have learned from Child Nutrition Director Mark Rusin that 24.4 percent of CHS students qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch, compared with 18 percent at Chapel Hill High School and 13 percent at East. This means that — under the current system of per pupil teacher allocations — Carrboro High School receives less money to teach more disadvantaged students with less experienced teachers. AND we ask them to teach many of their classes in a facility that lacks adequate and appropriate space.
Clearly, the formulas for allocation of resources need to be changed so that all of the high school students in our district — rich and poor, at large schools and at small ones — have an opportunity to receive a comparable education. The current system sets up the students at Carrboro High School to attend a second-tier school.
Sincerely,
Susana Dancy
------ End of Forwarded Message
MI
Mar 25, 2009, 11:34:45 PM3/25/09
to CHS_Forum
Susana,
Thanks for your diligence in keeping us informed. I am very
discouraged to hear about this discrepancy.
Marya
On Mar 25, 5:11 pm, Susana Dancy <susana.da...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I sent this information to the school board this afternoon. The budget can
> be downloaded at: http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/dept/dept.php?sectionid=7181
>
> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Susana Dancy <susana.da...@gmail.com>
Thanks for your diligence in keeping us informed. I am very
discouraged to hear about this discrepancy.
Marya
On Mar 25, 5:11 pm, Susana Dancy <susana.da...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I sent this information to the school board this afternoon. The budget can
> be downloaded at: http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/dept/dept.php?sectionid=7181
>
> ------ Forwarded Message
> Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:59:18 -0400
> To: <allboardmemb...@chccs.k12.nc.us>
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