Board approves special-education reorganization as state budget cuts threaten positions; parents may pay for driver's ed

The Lenoir County Board of Education on the June 2014 meeting approved a reorganization of the Exceptional Children (EC) department after administrators said American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) carryover funds are exhausted and the state senate budget under consideration would reduce local allotments.

Administrators, led by Miss Roach and Julie Hill, presented a plan that Superintendent Dr. Mazingo said was designed to preserve required services while reducing costs. The presentation listed a projected reduction in positions and months of employment totaling $276,197, and recommended eliminating two psychologist positions, eliminating one occupational therapist position (leaving three OT positions), reducing months of employment for three compliance specialist positions to 11 months, eliminating a vacant EC teacher assistant position, and eliminating one office support position.

"This is devastating for the school district," Dr. Mazingo said when outlining the combined effect of the projected state cuts. He urged community members to contact legislators about the budget, saying, "I hope that those of you who had access or will gain access to your legislators now go now go do what you need to do." The district also reported a $1,499,418 reduction in teacher assistant funds in one presentation of projected figures.

Board members pressed staff on whether the reductions would affect services for students with disabilities. Staff said they targeted administrative and vacant positions first, that remaining psychologist and occupational-therapy staffing levels were intended to maintain compliance with applicable special-education obligations, and that the district requested Department of Public Instruction review of caseloads to confirm sufficiency.

After discussion, the board moved and approved the EC reorganization plan as presented. The motion passed by raise-hand vote and was recorded as unanimous.

The board also addressed a statewide funding change that would affect driver's education. Finance and curriculum staff presented a one-year renewal contract with Jordan Driving School of the Carolinas for 2014'15; the behind-the-wheel payment increased by $9 per student to $198. Staff said that if the senate budget in its then-current form passed, the state driver-education allotment would be eliminated for 2015'16 and parents would be required to pay the per-student fee.

"Right now next year would remain the same for the period of this contract. But if this budget passes and stays in place, 2015'16, they would be required to pay that," a staff presenter said. The board approved the one-year driver's-education contract by voice/raise-hand vote.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of the meeting agenda: motion made and seconded; approved by raise-hand vote. - Approval of minutes from May 5, 2014: motion made and seconded; approved by raise-hand vote. - Reappointment: Herman Carraway to Lenoir Community College Board of Trustees: motion made and seconded; appointed by raise-hand vote. - Exceptional Children reorganization: motion to accept the recommendation; passed unanimously by raise-hand vote. Key items in plan: elimination of 2 psychologist positions, elimination of 1 OT position, reduction of compliance positions to 11 months (three reduced), elimination of a vacant teacher-assistant position, elimination of one office support position; projected reduction $276,197. - Driver education contract (Jordan Driving School of the Carolinas) renew for 2014'15 at $198 per student (behind-the-wheel): motion approved by raise-hand vote. Staff said the $198 fee could become a parent charge in 2015'16 if state funding is removed. - Personnel report and addendum (includes multiple administrative appointments): approved by raise-hand vote; see personnel action below.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included motions to approve the agenda and minutes, to reappoint a trustee to the community college board, to accept the Exceptional Children reorganization plan, to renew the driver's-education contract, to approve surplus property and out-of-state trips, and to approve the personnel report and addendum. Several of these votes were described by the chair as unanimous and were taken by members raising their hands.

Clarifying details extracted from presentations and the discussion include the projected $276,197 reduction tied to EC reorganization; a reported $1,499,418 reduction in teacher-assistant funds under the senate budget proposal; an elimination of state-funded driver's-education allotment for 2015'16 leading to an estimated $198-per-student fee; staff statements that many cuts targeted administrative or vacant positions to minimize disruption to direct student services; and staff requests of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to review related caseloads.

The board's approvals were procedural in form (motions, seconds, and raise-hand votes). Formal vote tallies were not recorded in the transcript beyond being announced as approved or passed unanimously.