Perdue, Bev. Press Release, 2011-06-01, Craven, Onslow, Pitt Schools System Suffer $18 Million in Cuts under Senate Budget

Beverly Eaves Perdue Governor State of North Carolina Office of the Governor 20301 Mail Service Center • Raleigh, NC 27699-0301 June 1, 2011 Contact: Chris Mackey Office: (919) 733-5612 Craven, Onslow, Pitt Schools System Suffer $18 Million in Cuts Under Senate Budget Senate Leaders Pretend to Protect Classroom While Passing Down Cuts RALEIGH - Gov. Bev Perdue today announced the results of a budget analysis conducted by the North Carolina State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction that details the cuts ordered by the Senate leadership in their budget proposal. Early analysis shows that the Craven, Onslow and Pitt County schools will be required to cut a total of $1 8 million from their budgets - forcing them to lay off teachers, teaching assistants and administrators. Senate Republicans this week attempted to hide their frighteningly deep cuts to local school districts. The truth is that the Republicans, who had already sliced into the public schools budget, slashed deeper, forcing local school districts to cut $429 million next year alone. Republican Senate leaders are dodging responsibility and shoving the cuts down to local schools. The Senate’s additional cuts will require counties to eliminate large numbers of teachers, teaching assistants and administrators. By contrast, Governor Perdue’s proposal would fully protect the classroom, protect critical preschool programs like Smart Start and More at Four and secures access to thousands of critical workforce training programs in our community college and university systems, according to analysis by the Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education. If this budget passes, the results will devastate North Carolina’s classrooms. Looking at just next year’s budget, for example, in Eastern North Carolina, Craven County will face $4.3 million in cuts, Onslow County will face $6.8 in cuts, and Pitt County will face $6.8 million in cuts. Combined, the Republican plan will force $1 8 million in those three counties alone.