[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6626404,"mediaKeyId","2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a","parentId",2753590,"title","Wake County Smart Start asks county for $842,000 to shore up pre‑K teacher pay and 3‑year‑old behavioral supports","audioSeconds",3488,"startMs",2528000,"endMs",6016000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a&start=2528&end=6016","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a/thumbnail_2528000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6626404/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-County-Smart-Start-asks-county-for-842000-to-shore-up-preK-teacher-pay-and-3yearold-behavioral-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626404-40aad6e1a05268cf8746b362db5b681d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771219978&Signature=jTcf3Ad88qOf7~-7chF3WEX6pQ3mXuXKag2M5BvJxMzNkmGYIKQEbOlfa3Ik6yIw1pMnJZ9JXEuM2Gs1XzkgLeP49VEqdxrfRYkeVck68MTBoqkYHYBmbINqhUP9jrso89bOJ4UoU9QfcEB9FyZaNsR0DlZmBXy6J851l4fGcBQ9SNvNkACiLggGbV0xd10wM0wf~eRF6flkNaphNlRapuGDFe8HXCNaeN5WFXBFSnoVkTG~i6ah1OYt3PzyhJyHBU08y9tW9LK7FOTKsG24VA~7d249tJ0Jc~XLZo~LvchWIgWMwKtb7d0A4i7hXS~5ngCF0Li0LZBr~PGlF3Gsig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wake County","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","Wake County Smart Start asked the Wake County Board of Commissioners’ education committee on March 24 to include roughly $403,000 for NC Pre‑K teacher reimbursement increases and about $439,000 for program and behavioral supports for the Wake 3 School program in the county manager’s fiscal‑year 2026 recommended budget.

The request targets two persistent problems: teacher pay that lags Wake County Public Schools and a growing number of three‑year‑old children with social‑emotional or behavior needs for which providers say they lack on‑site supports. Lindsey Davis, senior budget and management analyst, introduced the Smart Start team and the two part request.

Smart Start staff told commissioners that Wake County funds support both NC Pre‑K and the Wake 3 School pilot. The county currently funds 1,532 NC Pre‑K slots and about 300 slots for the Wake 3 School pilot; Smart Start said total county support across the two programs for FY25 was $7,751,563. Smart Start reported 4,556 applications for the current NC Pre‑K cycle, with 210 children on the verified NC Pre‑K wait list. For Wake 3 School, presenters said 314 children were being served and that, as of March 11, 3,833 children were on that program’s wait list.

Smart Start and county staff said the state reimbursement rate remains well below program cost. Presentation slides showed the gap between state funding and the total per‑child reimbursement increased between the early 2020s rate reviews: for centers with licensed birth‑through‑kindergarten teachers the gap rose from about $6,270 to $6,490 and for centers without those licensed teachers it rose from about $5,670 to $5,890.

Gary Carr, director of finance for Wake County Smart Start, described the current NC Pre‑K pay scale and the proposed increase. \"Our current pay scale for a fully licensed teacher begins at $43,001.49 per year and goes up to $60,912 for 15 years of experience,\" Carr said. Smart Start asked the county to fund a 3% adjustment to that scale; Carr said the average teacher — about six years’ experience — would receive “a little bit less than $2,000 a year” on average from a 3% increase.

On Wake 3 School, speakers told the committee that a large share of children served qualify as “high priority” (homeless, in foster care or otherwise high need) and that providers are reporting more children with severe dysregulated behaviors. Gail Heedon, executive director of Wake County Smart Start, and Carol (director of early childhood initiatives) said Smart Start is proposing several responses rather than additional slots for FY26: screening the 300 Wake 3 School children already placed, doubling the number of social‑emotional learning specialists from one to two, and developing site‑based interventionists who can move between centers. Staff also described early conversations with local colleges and mental‑health partners (including Advanced Community Health) about internships or clinical partnerships to increase on‑site capacity.

Rob Linnens, director of advancement, described fundraising plans to expand private support. Linnens said philanthropic revenue is modest today — roughly 3% of Smart Start’s budget — and the organization has set a 2025 fundraising goal of $175,000. Gail Heedon told commissioners 97% of Smart Start’s budget is public dollars: “about 20% from Wake County and roughly 72% from state sources,” with the remaining 3% from grants and donations. Staff warned of federal funding vulnerability, noting that Smart Start and county budget staff continue to monitor TANF and other federal streams; staff said a federal funding disruption could expose up to roughly $4 million of Smart Start revenue.

Commissioners asked for clarifying information on conversion rates (how many applications become NC Pre‑K placements), actual dollar thresholds tied to income bands, and details on site selection for next year. Smart Start staff said they will supply conversion‑rate data and more precise eligibility thresholds after the March 31 application deadline closes.

Smart Start’s FY26 preliminary asks provided to county budget staff were: approximately $403,000 for NC Pre‑K reimbursement increases and about $439,000 for Wake 3 School programmatic and behavioral supports. Presenters said the Wake 3 School ask covers FTEs, supplies and program management to strengthen supports for the children currently enrolled before expanding slots further.

If commissioners or county budget staff request more detail, Smart Start said it will provide line‑by‑line budget worksheets, finalized site counts after selection visits, and the conversion‑rate analysis once the application cycle closes on March 31.

Ending: Commissioners thanked Smart Start staff for the presentation and asked staff to provide the additional requested data for budget deliberations. The committee then moved on to updates from the Wake County Public School System.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wake County - Regular - Mar 24, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Wake County Smart Start asked the Wake County Board of Commissioners’ education committee on March 24 to include roughly $403,000 for NC Pre‑K teacher reimbursement increases and about $439,000 for program and behavioral supports for the Wake 3 School program in the county manager’s FY26 recommended budget.","taxTitle","Wake County, North Carolina","taxId",3336,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6626391,"Education committee approves Oct. 28 meeting minutes",61,2466000,2527000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a&start=2466&end=2527","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a/thumbnail_2466000.jpg","/articles/6626391/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Education-committee-approves-Oct-28-meeting-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626391-35dadf88197556a4c139a4b37e7a2e38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771219978&Signature=GmvCNzZdKJuKMrVpKp0E2-Kep3lfP1W~clLwvv~CXfUf98iSkVEqkpSYV3j18al7CrEoFDn6m4JpeKrTi2qiUPC63RRlCQ98Wa6nMq4e6JlKRihsMTUoLAoy7spWGMMzn-FkZWdtWiUOHLCggJJ6ze7XPTWOKqU6wSujfDDHNg0jefeaO56W9163hMk5rXNv6NbCE0bYiNT7vstExGL9c5-5dfGFbaqNN1cQdlDLYep7h6isb-choDJIn6CD4V9My2lczj3hYcL7X6w05mDrE2~lnrFBCNChq8t0nVRm4yUuHri4KDnePtK-9qrPIndhZ1jaKa5~T9aAvYNrNiqgSQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wake County Board of Commissioners’ education committee approved the minutes of its Oct. 28 education committee meeting at the start of its March 24 session.

Commissioner Waters moved to approve the Oct. 28 minutes and a commissioner seconded the motion. After a voice vote on the motion, the committee chair announced the motion carried.

Ending: The committee then proceeded to the scheduled presentations from Wake County Smart Start.","At the March 24 Education Committee meeting, commissioners moved, seconded and approved the minutes from the Oct. 28 Education Committee meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6626396,"Wake County schools expand free‑meal coverage to 40 schools; Angel Fund covers more than $100,000 in student meals",525,8469000,8994000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a&start=8469&end=8994","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a/thumbnail_8469000.jpg","/articles/6626396/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-County-schools-expand-freemeal-coverage-to-40-schools-Angel-Fund-covers-more-than-100000-in-student-meals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626396-32fc23a78d8f3f7fc81204ae1ec375de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771219978&Signature=k7ZHPxRXBwQJ5w4fjxrjfjtCLqLjW49XV9Kq9-rwCReFKqw-j3PJZdRa-v8SwIS8tq8yNaqeNhkKDQCjbbbERabGsIEW0-WgqSDNKcBrKsLQSSdNNlf3Zg-qDTKPmW~a-9752fRIDLrSFqn-bgVe6lHuHxGmsQuttb9~buni-y~8NMIhSkjfKokdb5J1Si37WaB0l6o2EsC9vqi3EZ2fz8S2tWgDkUzWjA6KKHWQCoo2e-mFkFMCiRtHKQkav5~EyDFDb628bXgfovpxWjMaCGEJzxpz44niKCAZnqkjYIkAYD-e0rzu8VSOZXCMBJVzsa5y3GHblJehZIMJFulKLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tiffany Lawrence, the new director of Child Nutrition Services for Wake County Public Schools, told the county education committee on March 24 that the district expanded Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) coverage from 12 to 40 schools for the 2024–25 school year and that the district’s Angel Fund has received more than $100,000 in donations since August.

Lawrence said Wake County Public Schools serves roughly 20,000 breakfasts and more than 50,000 lunches on a typical school day. The district reported a 12% increase in breakfast participation and a 2.3% increase in lunch participation so far this school year compared with the prior year; presenters attributed much of the breakfast increase to the CEP expansion.

The Angel Fund, Lawrence said, is a donation account school managers can draw from when a student lacks funds at the point of sale. Lawrence told commissioners the fund has covered nearly 4,000 breakfasts and about 15,000 lunches since August and has eased managers’ decisions about denying meals to students with unpaid balances.

Lawrence also described program innovations to increase participation and reflect student demographics: a second‑chance breakfast at Apex High and an International Week in April that will introduce culturally influenced menu items such as chicken tinga and chicken tikka masala. District staff said they conducted manager taste‑tests and will provide training to prepare the dishes authentically.

On operational questions, Lawrence said CEP site selection is based on direct‑certification counts (household participation in SNAP/TANF and similar programs) and that a multiplier applied under federal rules determines the reimbursement rate for CEP schools. She said North Carolina’s recent legislative change (an added state factor) helped some additional schools qualify this year.

Commissioners asked how the public can donate to the Angel Fund and requested the district share the donation link. Lawrence said she would distribute instructions and asked communications staff to amplify the fund via social media. Commissioners also asked about food‑waste and share‑table practices; Lawrence said the district uses “offer versus serve” to limit waste and is piloting share‑table/Total Zero Waste efforts at some sites.

Ending: Commissioners thanked Lawrence for the update and asked staff to circulate Angel Fund donation instructions and an International Week calendar so board members could visit and observe cafeteria events.","Child Nutrition Services Director Tiffany Lawrence told the Wake County education committee that the district expanded Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) coverage from 12 to 40 schools for 2024–25, raised breakfast participation by about 12% and that the Angel Fund has received over $100,000 to cover students’ unpaid meals.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6626399,"Wake County schools report record industry credentials, emphasize employer partnerships and faculty recruitment",1857,6276000,8133000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a&start=6276&end=8133","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753590-cd719368eb27ec48e47ac90c90b7987a/thumbnail_6276000.jpg","/articles/6626399/Wake-County/North-Carolina/Wake-County-schools-report-record-industry-credentials-emphasize-employer-partnerships-and-faculty-recruitment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6626399-96b6ae3b8fa1d3492d9ad1c34db90076/orig.mp4?Expires=1771219979&Signature=fJUJaSBZ2oMo733gped5ijZuuWUwvlYzz8B1ZoK-ayBATVNke-t87JXBhlpsTIYqtS9AoytaB2qouSz239AzoayCI1nyqGQFQS07L48KrucLXacNilBMuFwUhKRXibi3bwRbdzGHuRY5AbF44MP0nC~bIxbzgYzvhrsLZ5x0fko~-F9ewFa~ZtdTu4hh67OAgRJuiyFlHZtfO~3h0tbzFpHmpM6xwmdBDwS8nQ2wxKVdjE-6S505VA~8ZfI8KajHNsL1fwgeslWotqevkmSOe5sTURdSnIgikjju8SbwAAQan5mtk5yW8JF9t~JUNRA9cbuI0rDtpAkt-2H6GHVWBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wake County Public School System officials reported to the Wake County Board of Commissioners’ education committee on March 24 that career and technical education (CTE) students continue to produce strong academic and workforce outcomes, even as the district seeks additional employer partners and teachers to staff highly technical courses.

Joanne Honeycutt, director of career and technical education, and a Wake County presenter reviewed data showing that CTE concentrators — students who complete a sequence of courses in a pathway — have a 99% graduation rate. The district reported roughly 62,000 unique CTE participants in grades 6–12 in school year 2022–23 and 29,424 industry‑recognized credentials in 2023–24, the presentation said.

\"Students who complete this concentration have a higher graduation rate,\" Honeycutt said, describing the concentrator model. District slides showed that CTE concentrators also performed as well or better on end‑of‑course academic tests and had higher employment and wage outcomes after graduation than non‑CTE peers.

School officials described the structure of CTE in Wake County: 55 distinct pathways aligned to the 16 national career clusters (the district currently offers 15 clusters), career academies at 19 schools (24 academies total), and multiple industry partnerships. Honeycutt highlighted partnerships for work‑based learning and apprenticeships with Wake Tech, Wake EMS, contractors and manufacturing partners; she described competitions and applied projects such as SHED, Volt and Spark that pair students and employers.

District staff said CTE concentrators earned about 28,185 industry credentials in 2022–23 (rising to 29,424 in 2023–24), and that the share of graduates leaving high school with a credential has been rising (presenters cited an unofficial 69% figure for 2023–24). Officials also said 99% of graduates had positive placement six months after graduation, including postsecondary enrollment, employment, military service or apprenticeship.

Honeycutt and the presenter told commissioners the program faces three continuing challenges: (1) public awareness of the breadth and rigor of modern CTE offerings, (2) recruiting and retaining qualified instructors who often can earn more in private industry than in teaching, and (3) uncertainty at the federal level about Perkins Act funding that supports equipment and professional learning (the district receives roughly $2 million annually in federal CTE funding).

Commissioners suggested strategies to expand industry connections and recruitment, including outreach to chambers of commerce, local employers and community networks. Honeycutt said the district uses adjunct faculty who meet industry‑experience criteria, retired industry professionals and partnerships with postsecondary institutions to address staffing gaps.

Ending: The district asked commissioners and local business leaders to help expand employer partnerships and mock‑interview and apprenticeship opportunities. Commissioners offered to assist with outreach to chambers and local employers.","Wake County Public School System officials told the county education committee that CTE concentrators continue to post high graduation rates and credential attainment and asked for stronger employer partnerships and stable federal support for CTE funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wake County Smart Start asks county for $842,000 to shore up pre‑K teacher pay and 3‑year‑old behavioral supports

Education committee approves Oct. 28 meeting minutes

Wake County schools expand free‑meal coverage to 40 schools; Angel Fund covers more than $100,000 in student meals

Wake County schools report record industry credentials, emphasize employer partnerships and faculty recruitment