Home > Uncategorized > NCAE: Millions welcome, but serious shortfall looms (video)

NCAE: Millions welcome, but serious shortfall looms (video)

Post on September 1, 2010 by 1 Comment »

In recent weeks, North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction has received $700 million from the federal government. The first $300 million was to help protect teachers from layoffs this school year. The next $400 million will be used to turning around low-performing schools as part of the Race to the Top initiative.

In some ways the money is both a blessing and a curse.

Sheri Strickland, president of the NC Association of Educators, says there are concerns that some will see the federal windfall as a reason to withhold state funds from public education next year when North Carolina’s budget shortfall is expected to exceed $3 billion.  And while the federal money has helped stabilize public education, Strickland maintains it has done little to address the 5,000 positions that were eliminated last year.

This weekend on News & Views, Strickland discusses the increased pressure for better test results and why it’s a mistake for some counties to try to save their share of the money until 2011. For a preview of her radio interview with Chris Fitzsimon, please click below:

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Comments (Closed):1

  1. Anynonmous
    September 2, 2010 at 8:18 am

    I do NOT want to hear another education complain and moan about continuing to not recieve enough federal $. The $300 million was actually intended to extend FMAP funds for Medicaid; however, NC has a govenor who continues to throw millions of dollars to “save teacher jobs” in order to get votes in the next election. All the while, the Medicaid program, which is only 12% of the state’s budget, continues to suffer at the hands of education. If the $ was spent where it should be, Medicaid would NOT continue to have to reduce provider rates Can we please move on from yet another person in the education arena whining about not having enough $. The state spends nearly 40% of it’s entire budget on education.