Senate Bill 265, legislation that would strip the Mooresville Graded School District of state funding, hit a major stumbling block Tuesday that could potentially eradicate the issue this legislative session.
Less than one week after the MGSD held an informational session for parents and community leaders about the state bill, the Senate Education Committee amended and removed language within their budget, Senate Bill 202, which would direct "the State Board of Education to provide funds for only one local school administrative unit per county."
That budget item came from Senate Bill 265, legislation proposed by N.C. Sen. Tony Rand, a Cumberland County Democrat. He introduced similar legislation in 2005 and 2007, but was unsuccessful in those attempts.
On March 25, Rand brought the legislation to the Senate Education Committee, noting an $11 million state savings if the bill were to pass.
"We're relieved that that action was taken and believe and hope that the communication from all the city systems to all of the senators – part of the education committee – had an impact, but we will still monitor all bills very carefully," said Supt. Mark Edwards on Wednesday.
He added, "We're hopeful that this will not reemerge on the House (of Representatives) side or again this year."
If the bill were to pass, 15 city school districts across North Carolina, including the MGSD, would garner significantly less funding from the state.
And although the bill does not state that school districts would be required to merge under a one-county-district umbrella, MGSD officials said last week that city districts would find difficulty in maintaining the same level of education without proper state funding and would likely be forced into those mergers.
Edwards said at the April 1 meeting that it would be possible for the MGSD to continue despite a significant cut from the state allotment. However, for most city school systems, "it would result in the devolution and they would not exist."
MGSD officials took a strong stance against Senate Bill 265, urging both parents and community leaders to contact state senators and express their concerns about the legislation and what effects it could have on city school districts.
Noting consequences such as a consolidated system, less funding for programs that focus on "disadvantaged students" and the loss of many district initiatives, Edwards and Board of Education Chairperson Karen Hart discussed Rand's legislation at length on April 1 with an audience of nearly 50 people.
The amendment to remove the language for funding only one district per county from the budget, said Edwards, came from N.C. Sen. Linda Garrou, a Democrat who represents Forsyth County.
Hart said, "I'm very happy to see that it's been taken out of the Senate bill."
She said she plans to continue monitoring Raleigh and the House to "see if there's any activity" regarding the funding of one district per county.
Despite the possibility of the bill reemerging this session, both Edwards and Hart remain optimistic that Senate Bill 265 has disappeared from the legislative floor for the time being.
Added the superintendent, "We're hoping that since it's been brought up in some format for three years in a row and it has not developed any significant traction, that maybe that'll lay it to rest for a while."
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