Clay schools to lose $50,000 in federal budget money in ’07
By Carla Gwaltney

The Clay County Board of Education heard this week that the county will lose $50,000 in federal funds because the Secure Rural Schools and Community Act was not renewed by Congress

Clay County School will lose $50,000 in federal funding come January. Clay County Schools normally receive what is referred to as “forest service money” each January from the sale of timber cut from federal lands in the county. Due to the failure by the United States Congress to renew the “Secure Rural Schools and Community Act” before leaving for their Christmas break, Clay County School Superintendent Scotty Penland told School Board Members Monday night that come January the system will be facing a $50,000 hole in its budget.

“This is a lot of money for us,” Penland commented of the cut to the system’s budget. Add to it the fact that the local school system lost $40,000 in state sales tax monies this year and Penland said it’s a hard hit to the system’s budget.

The money from the forest service timber sales usually is received in January, but as the second half of the fiscal year begins after the holidays, Penland will be trying to find $50,000 to meet his budget.

Penland said that if the Clay County Commission had not given the system such a generous increase this year to help cover rising fuel costs the system would be hard pressed to make it without the forest service money.

The United States Congress failed to renew the Secure Rural Schools and Community Act before leaving Washington, D.C.

for the Christmas holiday. The failure to renew this legislation means that rural schools, like Clay County, which receive money from the sale of timber harvested from federal lands will not receive the funds which they are use to receiving each year.

Penland told school board members that some school districts will be hurt much worse than Clay. For example, Graham County will lose $90,000 which is almost 20% of its budget.

Penland said that there are some school system in Oregon and California, where timber is big businesses and large portions of counties are made up of national forest lands, that might be in jeopardy of closing their doors. Penland explained that

some school system’s out West depend heavily on the money the receive from the federal government through those timber sales. In some cases, according to Penland, school systems stand to lose between up to 3/4 of their budgets.

“We usually get the money in January,” Penland commented, which is just in time to help pay for winter heating fuel.

Penland and everyone agreed that it was bad timing, with Penland adding that halfway into the fiscal year is a bad time to be told that they won’t be getting money they have had in their budget since July. Penland assured board

members that rural school systems like Clay County will be lobbying their Congressmen after the first of the year when Congress re-convenes to get the Secure Rural Schools and Community Act re-enacted.

Chairman Charles Penland asked Sup. Penland to send a letter to Representatives in Congress, specifically mentioning newly-elected Heath Shuler, asking for their assistance in securing the federal funds for Clay County and other Western Carolina school systems. Penland assured school board members that letters will be written to their Congressmen after the first of the year. In other business at Monday night’s school board meeting, Mr. Charles Penland was elected chairman of the Board while Jason Rhinehardt was elected vice-chairman by fellow board members.

The board also welcomed newly-elected members Daryl McClure and Israel Rogers who began their terms on the school board.

Following the election of officers and welcoming of new board members, Superintendent Scotty Penland brought the

first item on the agenda, updates on No Child Left Behind, before the board. Penland gave each member a copy of the North Carolina No Child Left Behind news letter and pointed out that 62 school districts in the state currently have Title 1 District Improvement status. Title 1 Improvement status signifies that these schools have not met the target goals in either reading or math in each of three grade spans (including 3-5, 6-8, and high school) for two years in a row. Penland gladly pointed out that Clay County is not one of these districts.

Although Clay County Middle and High Schools did not meet their target goals for math last year, Penland said that the scores were not bad and that the change in the way the math portion of the End of Grade exams were scored had an effect on the schools’ math test results. Penland added that the schools are working hard to find methods to help students improve their math scores.

Hayesville High School Principal Dr. Gail Criss gave a report to the board Monday evening, updating them on the recent visit from the SACS committee. The visit went well, Criss told the board, and the report from the SACS committee will be submitted to the SACS state office. She added that she should receive an official copy of the report in approximately four weeks.

The committee, according to Criss, spent several days on the campus interviewing 10 parents, 14 students, and every teacher at the high school. Criss gave a detailed list of the commendations she received from the committee which included the good job the school does at maintaining a relationship with students and families and the support the school receives from parents. Also mentioned were the fact that the school provides students with a high quality education in a clean, safe and comfortable environ- ment. The SACS committee also commended the talented staff and positive leadership at HHS.

Several recommendations were also received by Dr. Criss including the need to employ a second school nurse. Also recommended as possible additions for the high school curriculum were the establishment of a theatre program (including renovating the auditorium and providing appropriate classroom space to house the program) and expand advanced placement and dual enrollment opportunities for students. Developing a plan for an alternative learning program was also listed.

Penland told the board that none of the suggestions from the SACS committee were brand new ideas. “There is

nothing on there that we haven’t already discussed,” Penland commented. “We have been working on them.”

Penland shared the state school violence report with board members showing that Clay County only had two violent incidents last year, making it one of the lowest, if not the lowest, in the state for violent acts. Clay County Schools reported one possession of a controlled substance and one possession of a weapon for the 2005-06 school year.

This gives Clay County Schools a rate of 1.528% for total number of acts per 1000 students. “I am very pleased with this report,” Penland commented. “We are one of the lowest in the state for violent acts.”

Penland added that this good score does not surprise

him, as the goal of the school system is to provide a safe learning environment for students.

Before closing the last meeting for 2006, Penland reminded board members of the upcoming meeting in Asheville on Jan. 10, at 6.p.m sponsored by the North Carolina School Board Association. The meeting is a regional meeting for counties in Western North Carolina to show support for a statewide bond referendum to help pay for school construction projects. Penland told board members that he is asking Clay County Commissioners to attend the meeting, adding that members of the community may also attend to show support for state funding for school building projects.

Reader Comments

No comments have been posted. Be the first!

Other Stories With Comments:
Article	Comments
Land transfer tax-- let the voters decide	1