The number one topic of discussion during the Alamance County Board of Commissioners’ public hearing on its proposed budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year Monday night was the Alamance-Burlington School System’s request for a 27% funding increase from the county.
During the public hearing, Ed Priola, a Mebane resident who is running for a seat on the board of commissioners, complained about “the ballooning cost of government at the county level.”
Priola said he opposed any property tax increase — County Manager Heidi York has proposed an increase of 2 cents, or 4.6%, to 45.2 cents per $100 of value — and recommended reducing merit pay increases for county employees as a cost-saving measure.
“Why should every evaluated employee receive merit pay, including low-performers in their jobs?” Priola asked.
York has said the proposed tax increase, which would bring in a projected $5.15 million in new revenue, is needed to sustain essential services.
Gabriel Strickland and Lilith Stewart, both sixth-graders, pleaded with county officials to fully fund Alamance Virtual School.
“Alamance Virtual School gives us the ability to learn in a way that fits us best while keeping the money in ABSS,” Lilith said. “We are all worth a lot more than what is being asked from you.”
During a budget work session on May 30, ABSS Superintendent Bill Harrison presented the Alamance County Board of Commissioners a proposed budget of $59.17 million for fiscal year 2024-25. Though that would be an increase in county funding of $10.43 million, it also would cut nearly $7.6 million of current expenses because of the end of federal pandemic relief funding.
In her recommended budget, York advocated for no increase in local funding for ABSS.
During last week’s budget session, ABSS Chief Academic Officer Revonda Johnson acknowledged that 17 of the county’s 38 schools have been classified as low-performing, one short of the number for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction to label the entire school district as low-performing and impose more rigid oversight measures.
However, Chris Smith of Mebane disputed on Monday night that ABSS is failing its students and asserted the school system is thriving. Smith said his family has three students currently attending ABSS schools, and one of his children requires services only a public school system like ABSS can provide.
“One of our children has dyslexia and currently has an ‘A’ in every subject but one and is very close on that one,” Smith said. “She is thriving because of the support ABSS has provided. She is receiving [exceptional children] services that are often difficult to get in private or charter schools.”
Matthew Dobson of Burlington, who said his wife is a teacher with Alamance Virtual School, argued that the virtual school is 30% more cost-effective than a brick-and-mortar school. Dobson added that AVS students are either meeting or exceeding academic benchmarks set by the state.
“As this school is maturing and becoming really a foundation in Alamance County, the education system that’s been put in place is now showing great success,” Dobson said.
Colleen King of Burlington said she has two children attending ABSS schools and encouraged the commissioners to agree to the ABSS’s budget request. King also said she’s very concerned about budget cuts that would eliminate instructional support positions.
“The support services staff — librarians and counselors — have had a huge impact on my children, instilling a love of reading,” King said.
Alamance-Burlington Board of Education member Dan Ingle encouraged the commissioners to adopt the proposed budget increase of 27% for the school system by raising taxes.
“Sometimes you need to raise taxes, unfortunately, in order to fund ... [the schools],” Ingle said. “So I encourage you to use your heart and your mind. Think closely and pass our budget.”
School board Chair Sandy Ellington-Graves pointed out that Alamance County’s property tax rate ranks as the 13th lowest out of North Carolina’s 100 counties, yet per pupil spending ranks 51st out of the state’s 115 school districts.
“We will continue to advocate for our students and our staff as we focus on working collaboratively with the board of commissioners and this community to invest in our young people because public education matters,” Ellington-Graves said.
During the commmissioners’ comments portion of the meeting, Chair John Paisley defended the county’s support of ABSS through the years.
“We have fully funded the school system every single year up until this year, and we have not (yet) set the budget for this year,” Paisley said. “So you don’t have a clue what we’re going to do at this point.”
“We do that because we care about you parents, and we care about you students,” Paisley added.
The Alamance County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on the budget during its June 17 meeting.