Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 7:13 PM
Posted in NC House 7 Rep. Angela Bryant Nash
by DCN
Newsletter From
Rep. Angela Bryant
N. C. General Assembly
300 North Salisbury Street
Leg. Off. Bldg. Room 542
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 733-5878 (o)
(252) 442-4022 (h)
(919) 754-3289 (f)
Vol. II No. 10
September 16, 2008
I hope you will continue to let me know how you feel about the issues that are being debated by the North Carolina General Assembly and the challenges you and your family are facing each day. By working together, we can make District 7 and all regions of North Carolina a better place to live, work and raise a family.
Sections Below: In the District -- For your Information – Education Update –
Final Bills signed by the Governor—AARP Legislative Update
IN THE DISTRICT
Saturday Program For Academic And Cultural Education – www.ncsu.edu/provost/offices/diversity/space.html -- Give your child an academic edge --- structured Saturday academic program focusing on academic, character and cultural development. 14 sessions – Sept 6- Nov 1 – 9 to 1pm. Gateway Technology Center (NC Wesleyan College) -- $65 per 7 sessions plus $20 first time registration fee. Limited Scholarships available. Contact Marilynn Anselmi – 252-446-2585 or Marilynn_anselmi @ncsu.edu; 252-446-2585.
Halifax County Branch of the NAACP - The Halifax County Branch of the NAACP holds monthly meetings every month on the Monday after the third Sunday of each month. Meetings are held at the home of H D Pope Funeral Home, 520 Smith Church Rd. Roanoke Rapids, NC. Freedom Fund Celebration – Thurs. Sept. 18- 6pm—First Baptist Church, Roanoke Rapids. For more info call 252-535-2284.
Tar River Mission Clinic -- one of 74 NC free clinics statewide operating at the Nash (322 S. Franklin St – Rocky Mount) and Edgecombe Health Depts- 155 Atlantic Ave – Rocky Mount—Alternate Thursdays – 5:15 -8:30 pm between the two county locations. For information contact: Executive Director Gene Wilson 252-985-5064; tarrivermissionclinic@yahoo.com.
NC Opt-Ed Alliance Day - Will be held Friday September 26, 2008 at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Special Events Center from 8:30am - 2:00pm. The North Carolina Alliance to Create Opportunity Through Education (NC OPT-ED) involves statewide institutions that are committed to diversifying the science, mathematics, technology and engineering workforce, including the professoriate. The formal alliance with other National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported programs at institutions in North Carolina seeks to encourage underrepresented minority students from middle school through graduate school to attain the doctorate. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • Department of Chemistry • CB 3290 • Kenan A207 • Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3290 • T: 919.843.6903 • F: 919.843.3154.
27th Annual Down East Festival – Friday, October 10, 5:00am- 10:00pm at the Station Square parking lot. Saturday, October 11, 10:00am – 5:00-pm downtown Rocky Mount between Sunset Avenue and Tarboro Street. For more information contact the City of Rocky Mount at 252-972-111 or email infoatrockymountnc.gov.
Hobgood Cotton Festival – Saturday, October 11, 2008 – 10-6 – call 252-883-9827
Hobgood Activity and Health Day – Thomas Shields Community Center – Sat., Oct. 4 – 10-2. For info call – 252-744-3182
Enfield Peanut Festival - Saturday October 18, 2008-Downtown Whitfield St. For information please call – 252-445-3146.
Down East Viking Football Classic – Eliz City vs. St. Aug. - Rocky Mount Athletic Complex, Sat. Sept. 27 – 4 pm --For info call 252-335-3111. Game Tickets: Advance: $12 / Game Day: $15 / Children 5 and under—Free. Each participating tailgater must buy a game ticket. Parking Fees: General: $5 per vehicle / Tailgating: $10 per vehicle for 15X10 space; $30 per RV; *Special RV Parking (Friday & Saturday): $50 per RV; Special Events include: Golf Challenge, Step Show, Alumni Mixers, High School Band Showcase, Pool Party, Tailgating Competition, Recruitment Receptions, Shopping Spree, National Alumni Meeting, Live Entertainment and much more... FMI: Call Ameche Burns at (252) 341-2555
Harvest Days - Our Annual Halifax County Harvest Days Festival will be held on October 17-18 at the 4-H Rural Life Center on Hwy. 903 in Halifax. Applications for food and craft vendors are available now by calling 252-583-5161. Crafters who demonstrate and discuss their craft can obtain craft vendor spaces free of charge. The deadline for reserving vendor space at Harvest Days is October 3rd.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
ˇ Scholarship Opportunity Available- A great opportunity for young women considering careers in computer sciences and technology. Scholarships from $4000 to $10,000 per year for female African American students. The program, entitled African-American Women in Computer Science, (AAWCS), is a four-year program that provides scholarships and other assistance to women who express a financial need and an interest in computer science or information technology. The AAWCS program begins operation on July 1 and will run until June 30, 2012. Applications for the program can be requested by contacting Black at jblack@cis.famu.edu or (850) 412-7354.
- Take advantage of the latest in software skills testing! Selecting the best applicant from a stack of resumes is a challenging task. The Roanoke Rapids Employment Security Commission (ESC)/Job Link can narrow employer choices with QWIZ. QWIZ tests an individual’s skill levels for a variety of software applications. The test requires applicants to perform specific functions at basic, intermediate, and advanced skill levels. With ESC’s proven experience in the employment industry and QWIZ, ESC can save time and staff resources, provide accurate assessment of an applicant’s skills, and provide the best person for an employer’s needs. Using QWIZ software on a state-of-the-art computer, ESC can accurately evaluate and document skills in Windows, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and WordPerfect. For more information call 537-4188.
- Unclaimed Stimulus Payments- Rocky Human Relations Dept and its volunteers are assisting disabled citizens and senior citizens with filing for their stimulus payments with the IRS at 10 am – 2 pm on Tues and Thurs – at City Hall, BTW Center, South Rocky Mount Center, Rocky Mount Senior Center, Braswell Library, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Bassett Center, Battleboro Community Center, OIC, Rocky Mount Housing Authority – Hyman Battle and Weeks Armstrong and Wood Hawk Apts (Thurs. only). Filers please bring your social security benefit statement or proof of income received for 2007. For more info call: 972-1181
ˇ Rape Victims Won't Face Exam Bills
Victims of sexual violence in North Carolina will no longer be forced to pay for the forensic exams needed to help capture their attackers. The N.C. General Assembly approved more than $1 million this summer to revamp a program designed to help cover the cost of rape kit exams for uninsured victims. The exams are used to collect bodily evidence of an attacker and are standard in the prosecution of sex crimes. Now, hospitals will settle directly with the state, sparing victims of sexual assault the aggravation and trauma of receiving a bill. Legislators locked hospitals into a set rate for the tests; the state will pay the hospital a total of $800, including $200 for ambulance transportation. The program or its counterpart Victims Crime Compensation Fund, likely will be able to pay for other medical treatment needed because of an attack. (From The News and Observer)
ˇ The Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is re advertising for applicants for the SOS program in Nash County. State Of North Carolina
Department Of Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention ; Community Grants Programs, 1805 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1805, Telephone: (919) 789-5580. SOS funding provides for the provision of high quality after-school activities for school-aged children through award of grants in local communities. In accordance with HB2436, Section 16.2, any of the following may apply for a grant:
1. A community or neighborhood based 501c3 entity
2. A community-based, public or private nonprofit tax exempt organization
3. A school system
4. A local government agency
The 2008-2009 contract period will be November 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. Eight (8) month prorated funding allocations per county are included as Reference Supplement I in the RFP. Appropriations are subject to the availability of funds to the Department and final contract amounts are subject to adjustment at the discretion of the Department.
Letters of Intent to submit an application in response to the RFP are due to the Department by September 12, 2008 at 5:00pm.
The due date for submission of applications is Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 12:00pm. Late submissions and post marked applications will not be reviewed. Please be sure to access the 2008-2009 Support Our Students RFP link titled Reposting: Support Our Students Request for Proposals: Due September 30, 2008. Any other RFP links will result in access to the incorrect RFP documents which will result in disqualification of your application.
Please also be advised that the requirements of the RFP have recently changed. Please be sure to read the instructions carefully. If you have questions, please contact Kristin O’Connor or Lynne Fleetwood at 919.789-5580 ext. 234 or 254, respectively.
§ Dominion Power grants available for community and education projects in their service areas: For information contact Michael Thompson, State Government Affairs Manager, 919-418-1642.
EDUCATION UPDATE
Education remains one of the main priorities of government in North Carolina and this year, even as we faced challenges in our economy, the General Assembly continued its strong investment in public schools.
More than half of the state’s budget is spent on K-12 education, community colleges and public universities. Most of that money – $7.8 billion in this fiscal year – is spent on public schools. Our investment in this area pays off in a number of ways as more students graduate from high school and go to college and beyond. This year, we expanded our investment in a new dropout prevention program and in the state’s acclaimed More at Four preschool programs, created a teacher mentoring program and continued to look for ways to improve technology.
Salaries and Bonuses
Teachers in North Carolina received an average pay increase of 3 percent this year. I wish we could have given them and our state employees larger raises, but growth in the state this year was slower than in previous years and we had less money available for raises. The raise was one of the largest raises in the Southeast this fiscal year as other states experience economic slowdowns and followed an average pay increase of 5 percent last year. Starting pay now for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree is now about $31,000 a year and average pay in North Carolina ranks second in the Southeast. This year, we allowed the State Board of Education to spend up to $94 million for teacher bonuses for student performance. Unlike previous years, we capped the amount so that we could ensure the state had money to pay the millions more needed for higher fuel costs.
ABC Bonuses
I really regret the problem we have run into with the ABC bonus money and the fact that we have not kept our promise and commitment to the staffs who have worked hard to meet and exceed their goals. To sum it up, the bonus money was capped to make sure there was money available for other needs. Also, the money needed for bonuses was 25 percent more than what was estimated and wasn't known until after the budget was approved.
Finally, a lot of this goes back to fuel costs. We budgeted $35 million for increased fuel costs. DPI still expects to have to dip into reversions for more fuel money. That's usually where they go if they have a shortfall in bonus money and it needed to be protected this year for fuel costs.
Here are a few other points to keep in mind.
_ The 3 percent pay increase we gave teachers was among the highest in the Southeast this year and goes along with a 5 percent pay raise from last year.
_ We spent $5 million to give every teacher in the state one free personal leave day, and we also changed the law to prohibit school systems from charging teachers for personal leave days taken when students are not in school.
_ Unlike many states, we were not forced to make huge cuts overall this year. The total spent for education increased this year to $11.4 billion, about 53 percent of the total state budget.
_ Unlike many other states, we are not in a deficit situation, and we did not have to raise taxes. People were calling for fiscal constraint and we had to balance the bonuses, with the fuel costs and the salary increases, particularly since we are not required by law to give the maximum bonus amount.
_ The $94 million for bonuses is $4 million more than what the governor recommended and his budget included nothing for increased fuel costs.
The State Board has always had the authority (laid out in each year's budget bill) to provide bonuses "up to" $1,500 for meeting "high growth" and "up to" $750 for meeting "expected growth". While the State Board has always provided the maximum amount in years past, it has always had the discretion to provide bonuses below the maximum amount.
Section 7.3 of this year's budget bill limits the amount of money that the State Board of Education can spend on ABC Bonuses to about $94 million - the average spent on ABC Bonuses the last 11 years. If all teachers were to be given the full bonus amount, ABC Bonuses would have cost the State over $134 million. Since this year's budget caps expenditures at $94 million, bonuses will be approximately 70% of the full amount. As the State Board announced on Thursday, bonuses will be paid as follows:
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Certified Staff
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Noncertified Staff
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High Growth
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$1,053
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$351
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Expected Growth
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$527
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$263
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Had the General Assembly not capped expenditures on ABC Bonuses, it is likely that DPI would have had to hold back allotments to schools. The full cost of ABC Bonuses was not known until after the completion of the budget process. Even if the General Assembly had provided the $107 million originally requested by the State Board, DPI would have been more than $27 million short of what was ultimately required to provide ABC bonuses at the maximum level (over $134 million). The only way DPI could have covered that $27 million and still met its other obligations (most notably fuel for school buses), would have been to hold back allotments to school districts.
I hope this information is helpful to you even though information will never substitute for dollars and cents and for unfulfilled expectations. I will work to make sure we are clear next session about what we can provide in bonuses and that school staffs know that as soon as possible.
More at Four
We realize that much of our children’s success in school depends on what they learn before they get to school. For that reason, we continue to invest in preschool programs such as Smart Start and More at Four. This year, the state budget includes $30 million to expand the More at Four programs, a high-quality pre-kindergarten program that serves thousands of at-risk children in our state.
Dropout Prevention
While we have made many improvements in our schools, too many of our students still fail to graduate. Last year, the General Assembly created a new dropout prevention grant program that awarded a total of $7 million to more than 60 community-based programs. This year, we expanded the program by putting another $15 million into it. The programs work with dropouts and those at risk of dropping out. The new Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation will evaluate the programs that receive grants and decide whether expanding or replicating them will improve graduation rates in the state. The commission will also review research on student success, study major middle and high school reform efforts and how they may influence the dropout rate review the courses required for graduation and determine whether changes should be made and determine which strategies best help students remain in school when they are at risk of being retained.
Technology
The state’s base budget includes $12 million to pay for a plan to provide information technology infrastructure in our schools. We increased that amount by $10 million in an effort to improve schools’ abilities to use up-to-date technology in our classrooms. Over the past two fiscal years, the General Assembly provided $4.5 million for a pilot program that provides laptop computers to all teachers and students in eight high schools.
Mentoring
The legislature increased its investment in teacher mentoring programs this year by $3 million. The money will be used to help establish a flexible program to serve all first and second-year teachers as well as first-year instructional support personnel. Under a plan approved by the State Board of Education, school systems will be allowed to use the money for programs it believes will best serve beginning teachers.
Teacher Leave
The General Assembly budgeted $5 million this year to allow every teacher in the state one free personal leave day. Previously, teachers had to pay to cover the cost of a substitute any time they used a personal leave day. The General Assembly also approved a change in the law that prohibits school systems from charging teachers for personal leave days taken when students are not in school. The estimated statewide savings for teachers is more than $200,000.
Miscellaneous
_ $35 million to cover higher diesel fuel costs for buses
_ $6.2 million more for children with disabilities
_ $6 million more for The Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Fund
_ $3.6 million for Learn and Earn high schools; $1 million for Learn and Earn virtual schools
_ $3.2 million more for academically gifted students
_ $2.9 million for supplemental funding to low-wealth counties.
_ $750,000 for Teach for America program
_ $500,000 for childhood obesity pilot programs
_ $500,000 for Communities in Schools
_ $300,000 for PTA Parental Involvement Initiative
Recent Bills signed by the Governor
The following nine bills were signed Friday afternoon, August 8, 2008:
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2008-196
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Prog. Eval. Div./Technical Amendments.
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2008-197
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UP Penalties Cross Burn/Illeg. to Hang Noose.
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2008-198
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Amend Env. Laws/Env. Tech. Corrections 2008.
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2008-199
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Limited Release from Prison for Deportation.
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2008-200
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Liability Protection for Private Entities.
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2008-201
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State Tire Contract.
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2008-202
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DMV Record Checks and License Changes.
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2008-203
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Codify Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings.
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2008-204
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UNC Nonapp. Cap. Projects/Airport Authority.
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The following seven bills were signed Saturday, August 9, 2008:
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2008-205
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Orange/Hunting on Private Property.
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2008-206
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Home Inspector Privilege License.
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2008-207
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Solid Waste Tax Changes/Unsalable OTP Refund.
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2008-208
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Electronic Recycling Amends/Add TVs.
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2008-209
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Some Personal Leave Time/No Penalty.
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2008-210
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NICS Reporting/Restoration.
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2008-211
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Improve Coastal Stormwater Management.
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Governor Easley signed the following five bills on Saturday, August 16, 2008, day 29 of 30 for action since sine die adjournment:
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2008-216
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Transporting Children in Open Bed of Vehicle.
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2008-217
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Change Format of Drivers Licenses/Under 21.
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2008-218
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Protect Children From Sexual Predators Act.
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2008-219
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Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors.
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2008-220
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Sex Offender/Register E-Mail Address.
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