The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education took steps toward prioritizing a list of items it would like to see local state legislators take up on their behalf in a wide-ranging, three-hour workshop on Tuesday that gave occasional glimpses into the school board’s frustration with each other and former staff members.
The legislative agenda, a document that most large school districts have, is still taking shape. Tuesday’s meeting gave school board members a chance to say what they think it should include. The school board wants to make its legislative agenda more public by posting it on the school district’s website and handing it out at gatherings such as the recent Greater Winston-Salem Inc. State of Education luncheon.
The school board also talked about specific one-time budget requests to take to the state delegation. After some discussion on whether to ask the state for money for middle school football and more metal detectors, board member Alex Bohannon circled back to the board’s most pressing need — money to pay off a $37 million deficit from the 2024-25 fiscal year.
“What we need is the one-time loan,” Bohannon said.
Rep. Donny Lambeth suggested last week that local state legislators would be open to pushing the General Assembly for a loan of up to $20 million next spring during the legislative short session.
Does enrollment tell whole story on resources?
As for the legislative agenda, several board members said they would like to see the state change the way it funds the salaries of public school employees. The state allotment process pays for school positions based on enrollment, but local schools often need more positions than the state will pay for. In the local school system, for example, the state pays for about 52 assistant principals. The school district had about 150 assistant principals before the recent reduction in force.
The failure to align staffing with enrollment is part of what led to the school district’s current financial crisis.
Board member Leah Crowley said she would like the state to look at how much it costs to educate students with different needs.
“It’s one of the things I’ve noticed in the classroom,” she said of the rise of students with more needs, whether it’s behavioral support, speech therapy or translation services. “My oldest started public school in 2006 and to see the difference in classrooms today, it’s like night and day, and I don’t think people appreciate at the state level what is required.”
Interim Superintendent Catty Moore said the state did some work around a weighted student funding formula, but no action has been taken.
“It would be helpful to take a look,” Moore said of that funding formula. “It’s a start.”
More control of the school calendar
Board member Steve Wood said he would like the board to prioritize giving school districts greater local control of the school calendar.
“To me, there’s great inelasticity from the state on control,” he said. “I’m in favor of district control not just on the calendar but other things as well.”
Part of the school board’s workshop involved a presentation from Allison Schafer, the general counsel for the State Board of Education.
She gave an overview of the school board’s power and duties. It prompted several discussions.
Questioned by board member Sabrina Coone on what board members can do if they feel like an item they want on the agenda is ignored, Schafer said: “Make a motion in the meeting to amend the agenda. If it passes, it passes.”
School board Chairwoman Deanna Kaplan sets the board meeting agenda in collaboration with the superintendent.
As for how to hold a superintendent accountable, Schafer said the mandatory annual evaluation is one of their best tools.
Coone asked about budget transparency. She said in the past, the board has asked for a line-by-line budget only to be told that producing one would be “too hard.”
Moore answered, “I don’t know how to react to something being too hard. You ask what you want to see, and the superintendent and staff provide what is requested by the board. And if there’s a rational explanation, that has to be provided, and the board has to say, ‘OK’ or ‘We’ll wait.'”
lodonnell@wsjournal.com
336-727-7420
@lisaodonnellWSJ
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