Dare County Schools have notified 12 elementary school teachers that their contracts will not be renewed because of expected state budget cuts, the superintendent said.
If the state decides to not make the cuts, the teachers will be reinstated in order of seniority.
North Carolina is proposing to increase class size by two students at every grade level, which means it will pay for 21 fewer teachers, according to a statement Friday from the Dare County Board of Education.
Nine of those slots in Dare were already covered by resignations and retirements. The More at Four Program had earlier been unfunded, which lowered the number of teachers needed.
Superintendent Sue Burgess said that the proposed cuts were based on seniority. Nags Head Elementary, one of the district's newest schools, has been hit the hardest, with the loss of five teachers. First Flight Elementary had none of its teachers cut.
"What that means is there would have to be some intra-county transfers, which will be determined at a later time," Burgess said.
Revenue projections in the district have declined by nearly $2.6 million, including $1.5 million in state cuts and $1.1 million in county cuts, since the original budget was prepared in March, the statement said.
As much as $924,000 over two years is expected in federal stimulus money for Dare, but it can be used only for Title I and special education, the statement said.
Before slashing teacher positions, Burgess said, the district pared other areas to address the shortfall. Maintenance, transportation, technology, Jump Start summer school, the out-of-school suspension program, three administrative positions and 3-1/2 support positions were cut. By Gary D. Robertson
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TAX TAX TAX
Unfortunely, the attitude for each pet project is tax tax tax. We have to cut, just as every family has had to cut in these economic times. You ask "who will WANT to move here without services", I wonder who will be FORCED to move out because of taxes going up, while income drops dramatically, if not completely in these economically depressed area
dare teachers
Ooznchaos,our taxes here in nc are certainly cheap enough.And a few dollars a year to save 12 families from financial ruin and heartache just seems like the decent thing to do.Not to even mention the benefit to the children,which will ,in turn,benefit our communities in many ways.Understand that when you have spent your life teaching there aren't very many lateral positions.Lets all be a little kinder,we need to look out for our fellow working man,because our officials will not.
true
this is true statewide. here in chowan, between state and county cuts, schools are losing some 18 teachers. that is just a shame. everything is cut cut cut here. who will want to come live here with no services? time to re-think priorities. nobody likes taxes but nobody likes to see services cut to nothing. families won't come here. just retirees who don't have children and don't want to raise taxes to fund other children
NHES Cuts
Dare County and State priorities have become truly sick. We have cash for far too many other priorities such as excess law enforcement, new facilities, aquariums and coastal regulation...but we can't keep well-qualified teachers on the force. My daughter's third grade teacher was dismissed in this purge, and she was a fine educator. What a tremendous shame that there is no wiggle room in budgets to retain what we really need in this county.
teachers 'fired'
Thats the term used by the school board chairman.I don't detect any remorse there.Never mind that some of these were teachers that were highly educated ,and devoted everything they have to their students.Many years of experience lost.Our children sre the biggest losers in this debacle,and it will prove out in next year's scores.Maybe we wouldn't need a police state with 21% orf the budgett if we didn't trample on education and the people who make it happen.There seems to be some very poor priorities here in Dare county.It's truly very sad when people are used as pawns,I know two of these teachers,and distraught doesn't even begin to describe hoe they feel today.Wake up,elected officials.