RALEIGH --
At a time when county commissioners are warning that a $35 million increase to run schools next year is too much, the Wake school board may ask for an even bigger budget boost.
Several school board members plan to add to the $35 million increase Superintendent Del Burns wants from commissioners. Board members say they need to ask for more money to do things such as offer foreign language in elementary school and beef up high school security against the threat of gangs.
"As a school board, we're doing a disservice by not making them aware of what we need," said school board member Lori Millberg. "They may disagree, but it's our job to let them know."
Joe Bryan, chairman of the board of commissioners, said the increases the school board is considering will require an increase in property taxes above the revenue-neutral rate the commissioners have pledged to uphold. Commissioners control the purse strings for schools.
"We're not looking at tax increases for the rest of the budget," Bryan said.
Earlier this month, Burns presented a $1.2 billion operating- budget proposal for the 2008-09 fiscal year. He wants the county to provide $335.7 million, a 12 percent increase in funding.
Burns has said his budget is a "no-frills" request designed largely to keep up with growth and inflation. But commissioners say Burns is asking for more money than they have available.
Wake school board members say they agree that Burns' budget is "no-frills" and that money needs to be added for some of the 18 new programs listed on Tuesday.
"We're just treading water to keep up," said school board member Eleanor Goettee. "That's not good enough."
What most caught Millberg's eye is $1.6 million to deal with gang prevention at high schools.
"Parents want their kids to have a good education," Millberg said. "But first and foremost, they want them to be safe."
School administrators justify the spending by pointing out that, as of March 20, the number of gang-related incidents at schools had increased by 20 percent over the same time last year.
School board members also want $4.5 million to hire foreign language teachers for every elementary school. Only a handful of elementary schools provide foreign language.
They would like $2.6 million for more services for academically gifted students and $2.5 million for K-2 literacy coaches.
School board members will discuss what changes they want to make to Burns' budget April 8. A final vote is set April 22.
Jennifer Mansfield, a North Raleigh parent, would love to see more spent on academics, especially foreign language. But she's skeptical that that will happen.
"It's just a pipe dream," Mansfield said. "They don't have any plan for doing this."
(Staff writer Sam LaGrone contributed to this report.)
