GREENSBORO, N.C. — Guilford County Schools superintendent proposed a resolution urging federal lawmakers to pay for the "unexpected costs" of public school closures in North Carolina.
At Thursday evening's GCS budget meeting, superintendent Dr. Sharon Contreras' proposal was approved by the board. It proposes Washington provides funding for meal services to students and to help transition from school-based to home-based learning due to the coronavirus' interruption of the school year. The proposal argued public schools are expected to see declines in revenue, which could lead to significant cuts in district funding.
Dr. Contreras added her support to a letter on behalf of the Council of the Great City Schools, which was sent to members of Congress earlier this week. In a year where GCS narrowly avoided a bus driver strike, another cut in funding could be detrimental to the district's quality of education, Dr. Contreras argued.
“The economic impact on education is projected to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen before in this country,” Dr. Contreras said in reference to the letter. “We simply cannot do this alone, which is why I did not hesitate to sign this letter. We must do everything in our power to ensure all students continue to receive a fair and equitable education in Guilford County and throughout our nation.”
As for the 2020-21 school year budget, the board discussed the budget recommendation Thursday and will vote on it on May 12, before sending it to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners.
