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- News Archives: 2010-2017
GCS School Board Works to Keep Teacher Assistants in Classrooms
Doing all it can to keep as many teacher assistants in classrooms as possible, the Guilford County Board of Education approved a resolution to reduce the number of days teacher assistants work by three days.
“This is not a recommendation I would like to make,” said Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “Reducing workdays for any of our employees is not a welcome option. However, based on what we’re seeing coming from the legislature, they’re going to do something to cut teacher assistant positions. This is our way of saying to those dedicated employees that we are doing our best to keep them working with our students.”
Under North Carolina’s continuing budget resolution, GCS needed to identify more than $1.1 million to keep all current teacher assistants in the classrooms. That loss, combined with the cost of sustaining operations, funding state mandates and covering state teacher salary increases, leaves the district with a $5 million dollar shortfall. The district identified more than $4.6 million in central office cuts to cover the shortfall. All of those cuts mean fewer services to schools, and more are expected.
“It’s important to note that this is under the continuing budget,” Board Chairman Alan Duncan. “If certain proposals in the House and Senate budgets go through, we could be looking at cuts of an additional $8 million.”
The state’s continuation resolution is approved through August 14; however, some of GCS’ extended-year schools start class on July 31. The board’s decision to reduce the number of days teacher assistants, and other paraprofessionals, work by three days means those schools can plan to hold those positions at least for the time being.
Since 2008, GCS has had to cut more than 200 teaching positions and increased class sizes three times. In the last six years, the district has asked for an additional $78 million from the county in an attempt to, among other efforts, replace those positions, sustain operations and pay for salary increases, but only received a little more than $9 million.
As a result, the district has struggled to offset increases in various areas, including student enrollment, health insurance, retirement, utilities, gas, insurance and the addition of hundreds of thousands of square feet of classroom and school space.
“It’s true that our students are doing great things despite these challenges,” said Green. “That is due to the hard work and dedication of our teachers and staff, who continue to amaze me by doing more with less. However, we know we can do better, and we need the tools to move forward.”
The board will finalize the 2015-16 budget once state funding is allocated.