Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Field Trip Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Teacher requests district support for Charleston field trip; board asks about selection criteria and costs
Summary
Burke County teacher Tara Gilpin asked the board to support a Charleston trip for U.S. History and African American studies students, noting a $2,000 reimbursement grant and requesting district funding (board discussion referenced $9,511); the board queried selection criteria (passing classes, no OSS) and bus capacity limits.
Tara Gilpin (S11), a U.S. history teacher at Burke County High School, asked the board on March 17 for financial support to take students on a field trip to Charleston, S.C., as a culminating experience for courses studying slavery, Jim Crow and the civil‑rights movement.
Gilpin said she had secured a $2,000 reimbursement grant from the American Battlefield Trust but that the grant alone would not cover the cost of transporting and hosting students; during board discussion a district member referenced $9,511 as a likely additional district contribution. Gilpin described previous grant‑funded trips to Montgomery, Ala., and said the Charleston trip would serve about 50 students (one bus; capacity 55). She said the selection criteria include being passing all classes at the distribution of permission forms and no out‑of‑school suspensions.
Board members asked logistical questions about bus capacity, selection and funding. S6 asked whether the entire class would be eligible and S11 confirmed a pass‑all‑classes and no‑OSS requirement; S9 noted the district would consider recommending funding but that the board would decide on the amount. S9 asked for a detailed itinerary and budget; Gilpin said the $2,000 is a reimbursement grant and the district would need to provide up‑front funds, with any leftover money returned to the district.
Why it matters: The request concerns district funds and student equity—teachers asked that low‑income students not be required to fundraise to attend curricular trips. District leaders pressed for a clear budget and selection policy before committing funds.
What happens next: The board asked staff to review the proposal and cost breakdown and to consider a recommendation; no formal district funding decision was made at the meeting.
