Lawmakers drop year-round school provision from budget

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Monday night, Senator Michael Lee said the provision in the budget that could have eliminated year-round schools in New Hanover is gone.

The provision included a year-round definition in the budget that would only allow for multi-track (when students’ schedules are staggered), and not single-track (when their schedules are together). New Hanover County year-round schools are single track.

“Since the language never was intended to impact New Hanover County, I have been working for the last few weeks to modify the provision with new language or have the current language removed entirely at this time,” said Lee. “Based upon the last version of the budget I reviewed, the provision has been removed entirely.”

But the wait on this revision had many families’ school plans in limbo. It had been two and a half weeks since parents first learned of the potential problem facing year-round schools.

Sara Eagle, a Codington Elementary School parent, said she and other parents had to look at how they would adjust their schedules if their children had to wait until August to go back to school. She said it was frustrating not knowing.

“It’s just wanting that final ‘it’s done, it’s finished’ so we know what to expect for this coming year,” said Eagle.

Lawmakers are tasked now with putting the finishing touches on the budget and finalizing it.

Sen. Lee’s opponent in this fall’s election Andrew Barnhill was in wilmington for a town hall meeting. We asked him his thoughts on the topic of year round schools.

Barnhill, a Democrat, says year round schools are a popular option for parents and students in New Hanover County. He says it creates a great possibility of choice within the public school systems.

“We want to do what we can to help support the families in New Hanover County who are strongly committed to year round schools and want to make sure that those continue here in New Hanover County,” Barnhill said.

Barnhill adds it’s important to do what we can to preserve our strong public school system and to strengthen it as the year goes on.