Fund Schools First - Asheville
- by: Asheville City Schools Foundation
- recipient: NC State lawmakers
Currently, the NC legislature is working to balance the budget for North Carolina, and there are three serious threats to Asheville City Schools and to public education currently in play.
THREAT #1: The prediction is that North Carolina could see across-the-board budget cuts of up to ten percent in public education. At the same time, the NC legislature proposes to provide corporate tax cuts, tax based incentives to families who send their children to private schools, and incentives for communities to start new charter schools across the state. Since the VAST MAJORITY of students in Asheville and in North Carolina attend public schools, we think that the legislature should invest first in our existing public schools before they invest in unknown and private schools.
Further, we think that a balanced budget must include revenue streams. Extending the current sales tax is one tangible solution. Right now, members of the NC legislature have pledged to let the NC sales tax increase expire. The tax costs the average NC family only $9.00 per month and would add $1.3 BILLION back into the budget for education.
THREAT #2: Legislation is also proposed that would allocate more funds to charter schools without holding them to the same standards for serving our kids as public schools. While we aren't opposed to charter schools, we believe that it is only fair for the division of resources to reflect the needs of students and the services they require. (For example, if charter schools wish to receive a percentage of all state education funds, including those restricted to programs like "More at Four" preschool, JROTC and free and reduced lunch, then they should be required to provide those services.)
THREAT #3: Another proposed measure would be to fund only one school district per county. There are 100 county and 15 city school districts in North Carolina. Asheville City Schools district serves more students than 25 of the counties and 11 of the other city districts %u2014 and our enrollment is growing. Buncombe County and Asheville City schools serve very different populations of students with different needs. Funding only one district could force a consolidation of city and county schools, and place many effective programs at risk. Both of our districts are among the highest performing in the state, and both are opposed to consolidation. Smaller districts and smaller schools are better for student achievement.
Let your lawmakers know that you would like to do your part to support public education and continue the penny sales tax. Add your name today to the following statement adopted by the board of the Asheville City Schools Foundation and forward to your friends and colleagues. Once we have at least 3,800 signatures (the equivalent of one for every Asheville City Schools student) we will hand deliver this petition to Raleigh.
THREAT #1: The prediction is that North Carolina could see across-the-board budget cuts of up to ten percent in public education. At the same time, the NC legislature proposes to provide corporate tax cuts, tax based incentives to families who send their children to private schools, and incentives for communities to start new charter schools across the state. Since the VAST MAJORITY of students in Asheville and in North Carolina attend public schools, we think that the legislature should invest first in our existing public schools before they invest in unknown and private schools.
Further, we think that a balanced budget must include revenue streams. Extending the current sales tax is one tangible solution. Right now, members of the NC legislature have pledged to let the NC sales tax increase expire. The tax costs the average NC family only $9.00 per month and would add $1.3 BILLION back into the budget for education.
THREAT #2: Legislation is also proposed that would allocate more funds to charter schools without holding them to the same standards for serving our kids as public schools. While we aren't opposed to charter schools, we believe that it is only fair for the division of resources to reflect the needs of students and the services they require. (For example, if charter schools wish to receive a percentage of all state education funds, including those restricted to programs like "More at Four" preschool, JROTC and free and reduced lunch, then they should be required to provide those services.)
THREAT #3: Another proposed measure would be to fund only one school district per county. There are 100 county and 15 city school districts in North Carolina. Asheville City Schools district serves more students than 25 of the counties and 11 of the other city districts %u2014 and our enrollment is growing. Buncombe County and Asheville City schools serve very different populations of students with different needs. Funding only one district could force a consolidation of city and county schools, and place many effective programs at risk. Both of our districts are among the highest performing in the state, and both are opposed to consolidation. Smaller districts and smaller schools are better for student achievement.
Let your lawmakers know that you would like to do your part to support public education and continue the penny sales tax. Add your name today to the following statement adopted by the board of the Asheville City Schools Foundation and forward to your friends and colleagues. Once we have at least 3,800 signatures (the equivalent of one for every Asheville City Schools student) we will hand deliver this petition to Raleigh.
In response to statewide budget cuts to public education, we the undersigned support a balanced approach to the North Carolina budget for 2011 that includes making our existing proven public schools, K-12, a funding priority.
%u2022 We support extending the temporary 1% sales tax so that we may maintain our small classes, schools, and districts because these are the environments that are best for children. We request that our lawmakers do the same.
%u2022 We ask the Governor to veto any legislation that uses funds allocated for existing public schools to expand charter schools without holding them accountable to the same standards as our schools. We oppose the share of restricted state dollars with schools that do not serve the students those dollars were intended for or provide the programs those dollars were meant to provide.
%u2022 We oppose the elimination of city school districts through legislation that funds only one district per county because our city schools district represents the diversity of our community and allows us to address needs that wouldn't otherwise be addressed by a larger merged system. We urge NC lawmakers to fund our existing districts because that is best for students.
Sign PetitionSign Petition%u2022 We support extending the temporary 1% sales tax so that we may maintain our small classes, schools, and districts because these are the environments that are best for children. We request that our lawmakers do the same.
%u2022 We ask the Governor to veto any legislation that uses funds allocated for existing public schools to expand charter schools without holding them accountable to the same standards as our schools. We oppose the share of restricted state dollars with schools that do not serve the students those dollars were intended for or provide the programs those dollars were meant to provide.
%u2022 We oppose the elimination of city school districts through legislation that funds only one district per county because our city schools district represents the diversity of our community and allows us to address needs that wouldn't otherwise be addressed by a larger merged system. We urge NC lawmakers to fund our existing districts because that is best for students.
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