HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 05-18-2004-5pORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: May 18, 2004
Action Agenda
Item No. _~~
SUBJECT: Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) -Approval of
Annual Certifications
DEPARTMENT: Manager/Budget/Planning/ PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
Attorney
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Revised Draft SAPFOTAC Annual Report Rod Visser, ext 2300
(under separate cover) Donna Dean, ext 2151
Craig Benedict, ext 2592
Geof Gledhill, 732-2196
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE: To approve various certifications related to student membership and capacity of
the Orange County Schools (OCS) and Chapel Hill-Carrboro Gity Schools (CHCCS) as of
November 15, 2003, as outlined in the revised draft Annual Report of the SAPFO Technical
Advisory Committee (SAPFOTAC) and the incorporated forms.
BACKGROUND: As discussed in a report on this topic at the May 4, 2004 BOCC meeting,
the County and its SAPFO partners are required annually to review and certify the actual
number of students attending school in both school systems each November 15. There is also
a requirement to certify the building capacity available in each system at the elementary, middle
and high school levels.
The SAPFO Technical Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives of both school
systems and the Planning Directors of the County and Towns, also is tasked to produce an
annual report for the governing boards of each SAPFO partner outlining changes in
membership, capacity, student projections, and their collective impacts on the future issuance
of Certificates of Adequate Public Schools (CAPS) to requesting developers.
As noted by the Board at the May 4 meeting, there is agreement among the SAPFO partners
about mast of the figures subject to annual certification. As requested by the Board, staff have
brought this topic back to this meeting so the Board can approve the SAPFO-related
certifications, which the Planning Director will point out in the revised SAPFOTAC draft annual
report. As noted in the Executive Summary of that report, these certifications include:
• Building capacity (page 2 of SAPFOTAC report)
• Student membership projection methodology (page 16)
• Student membership projections (page 27)
• Student growth rate (page 34)
• Student/housing generation rate (page 37)
As noted at the earlier meeting, there will still need to be resolution regarding determinations by
the State of North Carolina that class size in grades kindergarten through 2 (K-2) must be
reduced from a ratio of 23 students to 1 teacher to 21 to 1, Commissioners have noted that a
unilateral reduction in class size by the State has the effect of creating an unfunded mandate
for county governments. Reduced class sizes in elementary schools create the need for more
classroom space, which county governments must pay for, Further impacts to class size and
possible additional classroom space needs could be experienced given the Governor's recent
budget proposal to reduce class size in Grade 3 in North Carolina.
County staff propose that the BOCC certify individual school building capacities as of November
15, 2003 at the same levels as they were as of November 15, 2002, with two exceptions -the
addition of 619 elementary seats in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro system resulting from the Augtast
2003 opening of Rashkis Elementary; and the addition of 100 more seats in 2003 at the
renovated Hillsborough Elementary in the Orange County Schools system, Both school
systems would be asked to make the same certifications as the BOCC, with the understanding
that the BOCC will engage school board representatives in discussions during the coming
months that would lead to a consensual approach to the next annual certifications for school
building capacities, effective November 15, 2004.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Precise financial impacts cannot be determined, but possible changes
in projected building capacity and projected growth in student membership for the next ten
years will have impacts on future operating and capital budgets measured in the tens of millions
of dollars.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the SAPFO
related certifications of student membership and capacity and authorize the Chair to send a
letter to the Boards of Education regarding an approach to future annual certifications of school
building capacities,