Executive Order 120, $114.4 million Additional Resources to NC Public Schools

Governor Easley's action comes after the state legislature's efforts to enact a budget

July 22, 2007

WAKE COUNTY NC NEWS -- North Carolina Governor Mike Easley has ordered the State Budget Office to release up to $114.4 million in additional resources to North Carolina public schools for class size reduction, disadvantaged students and pre-kindergarten programs. Easley's action comes after the state legislature's efforts to enact a budget (HB-1473) have stalled. The current continuing resolution expires on July 31.

Governor Easley, announced: "If I saw indications that we would have a budget next week that I could sign, I would have waited until the first of the week. School is starting soon and we need to get contracts in place so we can hire teachers and make sure our children have the tools they need to succeed."

Easley issued Executive Order 120, which will set aside the resources needed to:

• Fund the Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund ($17.6 million)
• Provide the resources for class size reduction ($37.5 million)
• Fund More at Four to serve an additional 10,000 at-risk four-year-olds ($59.3 million)

The governor is also setting aside money for the Disadvantaged Students Supplemental Fund. Easley initiated the fund in 2004 by executive order to provide resources to low-performing school districts. School systems must receive approval from the State Board of Education for their plans to use the money. Disadvantaged Students Supplemental funds are supplied to approved North Carolina Public School Districts to address the needs of at-risk of failure and low-income students around the state. School districts can use fund dollars for teacher recruitment and retention, class-size reduction, and development and implementation of Personal Education Plans.

Class Size Reduction (CSR) is a highly overrated program which supports the theory that students are more likely to achieve in small groups of fifteen students or less. The success of CSR has been under debated for more than 25 years, and three concrete facts stand out, K1 through 3rd grade benefit, success depends on the quality of the teacher, and implementing statewide programs calls for spending a tremendous amount of money on education. Area's of disagreement are on the long term effects of CSR after the 3rd grade and size of class for optimum achievement benefit. Opposition to CSR, maintains the quality of the teacher has a greater effect on student achievement than the class size which was proven in 2005 by the U.S. Education Leaders Delegation to China. The Delegation found China's classrooms contained up to 70 students which are academically achieving at higher levels than their U.S. counterpart.

Another program, The More at Four provides high quality pre-k education for four-year-olds at-risk of future failure in kindergarten. Last year 18,655 four-year-olds were enrolled More at Four programs in each of the state's 100 counties. The Governor's executive order provides support for 10,000 more at-risk four-year-olds to participate. The More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program standards are built on the premise that in order to be successful academically in school, children need to be prepared in all five of the major domains of development outlined by the National Education Goals Panel. Each of these domains is considered critical to a child's well being particularly in the areas of reading and math as they develop in school. The major domains of development outlined by the National Education Goals Panel are:

• Health and physical development
• Social and emotional development
• Language development and communication
• Cognition and general knowledge
• Approaches toward learning

Regardless of the distribution of the additional funds, Public Schools must begin preparation for the fall semester beginning in August. Therefore, Governor Easley's Executive Order 120, is a prudent decision necessary to ensure North Carolina's education system will continue to function properly until the General Assembly can create an acceptable state appropriations act.