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very well in Biology. They were third in the state in U. S.
History. They did well in Geometry.
Chapel Hill is the benchmark in schools, and Mooresville
outscored them in some areas. Dr. Houston pointed out it was
important to reach your own expectations as well as scoring high on
the tests.
Commissioner Madison inquired about an estimate of
administrative expenses as a percentage of current expense. Dr.
Houston said he did not have those figures. Dr. Houston said it
was somewhere in the 2 to 5 percent range for total administrative
costs.
Commissioner Madison said he would like to have the
administrative costs as a percentage of the current expense for the
past five years and also the instructional expense as a percent of
current expense, if it is not too much trouble.
Commissioner Madison inquired what the percentage of
minorities are in the Mooresville system. Dr. Houston said roughly
218. The minority percentage was about 288 when Dr. Houston came
to Mooresville in 1983. The actual number of minority children
has remained constant, but the percentage of the total has been
dropping.
The system is growing very rapidly, Houston said. They are
still listed as the #1 or #2 fastest growing school district in
North Carolina, with a projected growth rate in the 708 range by
year 2000. sometimes they don't believe that is going to happen,
but what if it's 508 wrong and they grow by 358. They have no more
capacity at the elementary level. They are moving three trailers
to the middle school for the coming year. The secondary capacity
is now in good shape, when they complete the Woods School
renovation. Capital needs are very real. it looks as if they will
have a "trailer school." There is not any space left to put any
mobile units.
Chairman Haire inquired how many additional high school
students could they accommodate. Dr. Houston said when the Woods
Project is complete, high school capacity will be at least 1250.
They are at 800+ students for the coming year. They are in good
shape. In time that number will go up. They hope by December 1993
the Woods project will be completed, no later than January 1994.
Bids are anticipated soon and they hope to start construction
in June. The high school will accommodate 950 as it is. It is not
at capacity now.
There were no further questions of the Mooresville officials.
Chairman Haire thanked them for coming to the meeting.
IREDELL-STATESVILLE SCHOOLS BUDGET PRESENTATIONs Dr. Register
and Bill Long, chairman of the Iredell-Statesville Schools,
presented their budget. Paula Gwaltney, finance officer for the
schools, was also present.
Dr. Register said there is a continuation budget of 78
included. This seven percent will allow the school to maintain the
present level of services now given. A 118 expansion budget is
included for new program requests. A good bit of the expansion
budget is earmarked for additional classroom teachers for the
system. A top priority of the board of education is to reduce
class size. These additional teachers will give a start toward
that, Register said.
In addition to the current expense budget, there is a capital
improvements budget, a continuation of the approach used last year,
to identify an annual capital improvements fund of $1.5 million per
year. The school system received more than $3 million of
improvements in requests from the schools this year. The best
approach is to look at long-range funding for capital improvements