Teacher assistants
on the chopping block
More than 8,000 teacher
assistant jobs could be
cut in the State's budget
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Under the current proposed state budget passed by the
N.C. Senate, more than 8,000 teacher assistants may lose
their jobs in the next two years.
Vastly different versions of the 2015-2017 budget
passed both the state House and Senate earlier in the sum
mer and is now being negotiated in
committee. Normally tne deadline tor a
budget is July 1, when the state's fiscal
year begins, but a continuing resolution
will keep the state funded through
August 14. Among the largest sticking
points is cutting the funds for teacher
assistants in half.
The Senate budget increases money
for education overall, using its funds to
raise the salaries for some teachers
while hiring thousands of new teachers
Gordon
to decrease classroom size. But it does tnis at oy siasmng
money for teacher assistants.
There have been protests around the state in reaction
to the cut, including one held at Miller Park on
Wednesday, July 8, organized by advocacy group Aim
Higher Now and the N.C. Association of Teacher
Assistants. In a phone interview with The Chronicle,
NCATA Communication Director Melinda Zarate said its
far from the first time teacher assistant jobs have been cut.
She said since 2008, 7,000 teacher assistant positions
have been cut. She believes in the last few years that
teacher assistant cuts have become a bargaining tool
between legislators.
"Every year they put us on the chopping block," she
said. "We've become used as a tool, we're a bargaining
chip in negotiations between the senate and house."
7arate is a full-time teacher assis
tant at Friedburg Elementary School in
Davidson County.
She's been a teacher assistant for
20 years. She assists two teachers in
fourth and fifth grades. She said there
are currently a more than 15,000 state
funded teacher assistants in elementary
schools, with most of them serving in
kindergarten through third grade,
"typically it's a full-time position with
Zarale
a wide variety ot tasks, including ieaa
ing small group activities, preparing classroom materials
and working with students one-on-one.
Zarate said sometimes teacher assistants will be the
ones who can spot a student in need of help that a teacher
might be too busy to notice. She said that extra attention
is needed in the early formative grades.
"We're another set of hands and another set of eyes,"
she said.
She also questioned if a smaller class size really gives
the students a better teacher-to-student ratio, when they
only have one teacher instead of a teacher and teacher
assistant.
Ronda Gordon, president of the Forsyth County
Association of Educators, agrees that teacher assistants
shouldn't be cut.
"We need our teacher assistants," she said. "They play
a vital role in educating our children in public education.
And without them, it's going to make that job even more
difficult."
Gordon also questions the practicality of reducing
class sizes because North Carolina is losing teachers and
school systems are often having problems filling all their
open teaching positions. There's also the question of
where the new classrooms would be housed because
many schools have maxed out their space.
In Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, there are
about 500 teacher assistants, mostly in kindergarten and
first grade. Of those, 110 were being cut in anticipation
of non-recurring funds before any version of the budget
was passed. Half those are cut through attrition, by not
replacing teacher assistants who retire or quit. The other
half are through layoffs, which are decided based on sen
iority. According to the school system, other positions
have been found for all but one of those who've been laid
off so far.
If the Senate cuts are approved, Forsyth will have to
cut twice as many teacher assistants. Since the budget
deadline is now in August, those additional layoffs might
happen after the school year begins if the Senate cuts go
into effect. This is the third year Forsyth County has had
to reduce its teacher assistant positions.
N.C. Sen. Paul Lowe Jr., who represents the 32nd
District, is among the Democrats opposed to the teacher
assistant cuts. He said he's concerned with both the mas
sive amount of jobs that will be lost and with the effect it
will have on students in the classroom. He said that law
makers should find the money to keep the positions in the
state's budget, which is about $22 billion.
"We've got to invest in our children," he said. "If
North Carolina is going to be a first-rate state, we have to
invest in our children."
Submitted photo
NCATA Communication Director Melinda Zarate
speaks at a rally at Miller Park on Wednesday,
July 8.
Have an Opinion?
Let us Know letters@wschronicle.com
ATTENTION BIG 4 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF
FORSYTH COUNTY, INC. (ANDERSON,
ATKINS, CARVER AND PAISLEY HIGH
SCHOOLS) MEMBERS AND FRIENDS!!!!!
A balance of S2.728.57 l? due to me for the cost of put
ting the names of three honored band directors on the
schools in April, 2015. Contributions are requested
through July 31.2015! All monies collected above that
balance will go to the Big 4's Scholarship Fund! Checks
should be written to: Rudolph V. Boone, Sr. and sent to
3151 Butterfield Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27105. A
"THANK YOU NOTE AND REPORT' will be sent to all
CONTRIBUTORS!
70* Properties in 25* Offerings
I Most Properties Sell ABSOLUTE with Mo Reserves!
July 21 & 23 in NC, SC & VA A
Waterfront Lots with Boat Slip Residential Lots Many on Golf Courses,
Commercial Lots Townhome Lois. Acreage Tracts & 55t Acre island JOHN oixoi
&Assnc:i\ri
M-iriu<T.iBiiiT.rriiniri-ovanin-aB
11am, Tues, July 21 11am, Thurs, July 23 *? 6397
Sale Sile Embassy States Sale Site Hilton Garden Inn
VffO Slonendege Dr Columbia. SC 441 Inl'l Center Or Sandslon W/1lwt f Prfn<l
FOOD
LION
MnSALH
W
MVP
Value Pack
73% Lean Ground Beef
? ? MVP Card (3.99 LB
Limit 2
^ Rest of Week: S2.99 LB w
1??
MVP
Pork
Back Ribs
Without MVP Card *3.90 lj_
Limit 2
Rest of Week; $2.99 LB
MVP ?*
Snow CflB Clustart
Without MVP Cord W.WU
Limit 2
Rest of Week: $5.99 LB ?
SALE1
99S>
MVP
Whole Chickens
Without MVP C*d $1.09 LB
BUY 11
GET 1 J
FREE *
MVP
16 0z. Pkg - Select Varieties
GwaKney Sliced Bacon
Without MVP Od $4.49 EA
LmPRICE'
214,
15 Oz - Select Varieties
Ball Park Meat Franks
low Price Every Day
^SAL^
if?
MVP
1 Lb. Container
Strawberries
Without MVP Card $2 29 EA
%SAIE%
MVP
Pint Container
Blueberries
Without MVP Card $2 99 ? A
Vto5ALE j
214:
MVP
9-11 Oz Pkg. - Select Varieties
Fresh Express
Salad Blends
Without MVP C*d $2.79 LA
^ tSALE t
W.f
MVP
8 Pack
Merita White Hamburger
and Hot Dog Buns
Without MVP Card Regular Retail
SB;
mvpI
/.Zb-lb uz. - select varieties
Chef Boyardee Microwaved
or Canned Pasta
Without MVP Card 4/J5
m
MVP
6-8 Oz. - Select Varieties
Food Lion or
my essentials shredded
or chunk cheese
Without MVP Card Regular Retail
BUY 11
GET 1 11
FREE
MVP
16 Oz. - Select Varieties
Ken's Salad Dressing
Without MVP Card $2.69 EA
MVP
59 Oz - Select Varieties
Simply Orange Juice
Without MVP Card $149 EA
48 02.
Wesson Vegetable Oil
Without MVP Card S319 EA
480z. -Select Varieties
Turkey Hill Ice Cream
Without MVP Catd $3.39 EA
MVP SAVINGS GENUA
am w ? A
MVP
39j
40 Oz. liquid
or 14 Ct. Pods
Select Varieties
Tide Laundry
Detergent
Without MVP Card Regular Ret
GROCERY
One Winner ? Every Store ? Every Day
July IS - July 28 'See store for details
2Wi
MVP.
8 4-16.4 Oi. ? Sctoct VwHif^
EnoWaffto*
Wttai CMIV^v Ma
*#*AUE^
?i inn*
14-36 Or.-Select Vawtlw
Edwards Has
WtU
WH
MO.S 0* - S?l?d Varieties
Lay's Family Sin
Potato Chips
ttttoJAWCffdffoEA
.IMN2Pim
'Hi
MVP
9.9-W.8 Qz - Seed Vaneoes
Knbkr Chips D?lux?
CookfM
Wthoul WPC?dfl79tA
limit 2 Free
o mg or o Keguur ncms mki vamn
Sparkle Paper Towels
12DoM?Ms
Angel Soft Bath Tissue
?WuiWI>Ckilfc#4?*M