May 25, 2001
Issue Number 18
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Names in the news
David Huskins, Dr. Phyllis
Crain host two membership events.
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Top Stories
Senate unveils $14.6 billion
budget
that doesn’t cut education as much as feared
 enate leaders unveiled a
$14.6 billion budget for next fiscal year that
downsizes state government and raises $180
million in new taxes but which doesn’t cut
funding for education nearly as much as was
feared. Appropriations for the public schools,
which had been told to expect a $125 million cut,
would be trimmed by $95 million. The UNC System,
which also had been told to plan for $125 million
in cuts, will instead receive a $4 million
reduction but a big hike in tuition. Instead of
the $40 million in spending reductions the
Community College System had been told to plan
for, the budget writers instead knifed out just
$5 million. The Senate budget contains no mention
of new revenue from a state lottery. The biggest
budget casualty is the Department of Health and
Human Services. Read that story.
NCCBI
wins passage of superintendents' bill
NCCBI
achieved one of its major goals for this
legislative session when the House on Wednesday
gave final approval to legislation that empowers
local school boards with the flexibility to hire
as superintendents individuals who are otherwise
well qualified but who don’t have classroom
experience or a college degree in education.
Current state law says a person must have a
degree in education and possess other
credentials, requirements that disqualify many
talented people from the business and financial
worlds from working in the schools. Read that
story, see "How They Voted." Easley asks task force for a new vision for schools
Gov.
Mike Easley on Tuesday unveiled what he said was
the next step in efforts to make North Carolina's
schools tops in the nation, announcing a new task
force that will develop a long-range, strategic
plan for improving the quality of education
available to all students. The task force’s
recommendation could become the basis of the
state’s response to the most recent ruling
in the Leandro low-wealth schools suit,
now under appeal, that ordered the state to
improve education for at-risk children in poorer
school districts. Several officials associated
with NCCBI are appointed to the task force. Read that story,
see the list of appointees.
Legislative News
Group says legislators can't pass the lottery
buck to voters
An anti-lottery group said it will
ask the courts to rule that it’s
unconstitutional for the General Assembly to call
a referendum on creating a state lottery.
Citizens United Against the Lottery contends that
a decision on starting a lottery is one that
legislators must make themselves. "If the
General Assembly passes a lottery that's
constitutionally questionable -- and in our view
that's a lottery with a referendum attached --
the state should expect a challenge," said
Chuck Neely, chairman of the group. Read that story.
 Get updated
on committee
actions
and floor votes on legislation
of interest to NCCBI
members.
State Government News
N.C. teacher pay now
second-highest in Southeast
North Carolina has largely achieved
its goal of raising salaries of school teachers
to the national average, according to a new
survey by the American Federation of Teachers
which puts the state in 23rd place nationally, up
from 26th place last year. Read that story and see a chart
comparing teacher pay in all 50 states.
 Please check the NCCBI Master Calendar for upcoming events that
you may want to attend.
We hope you have a safe
and happy Memorial Day holiday. Gasoline prices in North
Carolina dropped 2.5 cents a gallon just in time
for the holiday. AAA Carolinas reported that,
after hitting record highs two weeks ago, gas
prices have fallen to an average of $1.564 in the
state. The national average is $1.707 a gallon,
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