McCrory off on school funding claim
Published August 3, 2013
Editorial by Travis Fain, Greensboro News and Record, August 1, 2013.
Gov. Pat McCrory told an N.C. Chamber gathering this morning that the $7.8 billion in the budget for K-12 schools this year is the largest amount in state history. That is incorrect, according to figures from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
Take a look at the chart, which comes from page 3 of this DPI report, which I happened to be reading today for a separate story.
I've reached out to the governor's office on this, but it was late in the day. I'll update when we catch up with each other.
Update: From McCrory Communications Director Kim Genardo:
Our statement is correct:
$7.86 billion is the largest k-12 budget APPROPRIATED directly to our public schools. In 2008-09 DPI is using (the) ACTUAL budget number.
Go back to your budget bills and you will see varying amounts from appropriated, authorized and actual budget amounts. It is not accurate to compare an appropriated number to an actual number…that’s apples to oranges.
There is always a difference between appropriated- which is beginning of budget to authorized which follows with reserves and allocations not in budget…but added in.
I don't doubt her figures. But what say you? Was the governor's statement in bounds, or was it misleading? Or do we have to wait until the end of the year, and find out whether enough funding gets added to the budget to make this the biggest K-12 spending year in North Carolina history?
On a related note, I'm working something up on K-12 enrollment estimates versus actual enrollments, which I hope will explain why one side of a budget debate can say we're cutting the education budget, the other side can say it's the highest ever, and both can just about be right. Look for it soon.
August 3, 2013 at 10:41 am
Richard Bunce says:
Only political hacks looking to score political points argue the minutia of a very small percentage of the budget. That most of the many trillions spent by Federal, State, and Local governments on education over the past decades resulting in less than half of students reading at grade level is what is important. Free the education process from the government education industrial complex.
August 3, 2013 at 11:00 pm
dj anderson says:
~~ 7.8 now, vs 7.86 prior to recession -- Wow! What a difference! Amazing! ~~
On the good side of things, Health Care is getting more than in 2008.
Education was not the winner in the money count, but "slashed" and "gutted" aren't the words for what happened. Gov Hunt got teacher pay over the national average, but it fell under Easley and Perdue without anyone stepping onto Halifax Mall.
This and other blogs are about Democrats losing the election, the power and leadership and amounts to whining and crying about the sky falling in an hysterical manner. Those are the ones gaining public attention. Someone get a strategy and get hold of leadership. There's followers galore out there acting like a polite mob wanting and needing leadership. As for now, where are the Rev. Barber for Governor bumper stickers?
As for education, if the NCAE could have courted the votes of just 6 NC Senators the bill would not have passed as is. Put all your money on one horse to win and you lose along with them.
August 8, 2013 at 2:51 pm
dj anderson says:
The inevitable result of an educational system dependent on private funding...inequitable outcomes.
August 8, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Richard Bunce says:
You must not have read any NC government school system performance assessment reports over the last several decades under Democratic majority legislatures.
