“We tried to save 8,500 TA’s, to raise teacher pay to the national average over the next six years”, said Senator Valerie Foushee (D-Chatham County).
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“We’re flying by the seat of our trousers right now”, said Steve Curtis, finance officer for Pamlico County Schools.
“We have small populations”.
One reason budget negotiations are dragging on this year is the fact that the Senate has included a number of major policy changes, such as its proposals for Medicaid reform and economic incentives, in its proposed budget.
Assistants say they serve a key goal in the classrooms, working with students in need of academic help and helping teachers keep control in large classrooms.
About two dozen teacher assistants rallied at the legislative building on Thursday morning to criticize lawmakers for failing to agree on a budget, as the opening of school nears and their jobs are threatened.
Autry said that he hopes that the local system’s new superintendent, Tommy Lowry, and Board of Education will support teacher assistants like Johnny Hunt did during his time as superintendent. “If the state funding does get cut, that may mean we use local funds”. He has been a teacher assistant for 13 years in Bladen County and was named the 2012 North Carolina teach assistant of the year by NCATA.
Lowry said that the county is awaiting the final budget before making any staffing decisions. Other districts have warned that the budget, when agreed upon, could result in dismissal. However, the outnumbering Senate republicans want to rule against it and instead spend the money on shrinking class size.
Apodaca blamed his fellow Republicans in the House for education funding issues. She said despite that she still takes care of her own three children while providing school supplies for her students.
Senate Majority Leader and budget writer Harry Brown was more diplomatic.
“I want to give you [local districts] as much flexibility as possible”, said McCrory. “We certainly still have a little ways to go”, he said.
While our leaders have missed deadlines and been jet-setting to San Diego and Dana Point, Calif., our teaching assistants have been sweating out the summer wondering if they will have jobs in the fall.
Assistants and their supporters spoke at a news conference Thursday one day after lawmakers approved a bill to extend budget negotiations until August 31.
Many districts have already reacted to the uncertainty, letting go of teacher assistants. “I make a difference”. Some teaching assistant positions have already been cut because of a lack of budget.
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“I and the House continue to believe that teaching assistants are very valuable and should be funded by the state”.
