NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 25, 2000

PANEL OF COMMUNITY LEADERS SET TO DISCUSS
CARY EDUCATION FUNDING PROPOSAL TOMORROW NIGHT

CARY, NC – A panel of six community leaders is set to give ideas at a public forum tomorrow night on where and how to utilize millions of dollars that Cary plans to spend in the coming year to address local education needs. Under the $3.7 million funding plan—a first of its kind in the state--the Town will join with local businesses, organizations, and even private citizens in supporting the creation of a new, non-profit corporation—Cary Education Foundation--that will collect charitable donations to be used to support operating and building schools for Cary children.

The six panelists chosen by the Cary Town Council for the Wednesday night forum are:

• Wake County Commissioner, Yevonne Brannon
• Cary High School Principal, Dr. David Coley
• West Lake Middle School Principal, Claude Willie
• Local PTA Leader, Barbara Fair
• Raleigh Catholic Diocese Superintendent, Michael Fedewa
• Local Real Estate Agent, Kim Dennis

After introductory remarks by Cary Mayor Glen Lang, the panel will spend about 20 minutes on each of the following issues

1. Eligibility for Funding

Should the funds be limited to public schools or should they be made available to all types of schools--public, private, parochial, home schooling? Should funding follow the child or stay with the school? Should funds be available for schools outside Cary but where Cary kids attend? What if the schools are outside Wake County? Outside North Carolina? Private schools outside Cary?

2. Appropriate Uses of Funding

What should the money be used for and who should decide--the non-profit (Cary Education Foundation), the teacher, the principal? Should funds go towards teacher salaries, bonuses, and training? Should funding be limited to technology, supplies, equipment, and other "physical" needs? Should any of the funds be used for direct support of students such as scholarships, "vouchers", extracurricular activities?

3. Cary Education Foundation Board of Directors

Who should serve and for what term? What sectors of the community should be represented—teachers, parents, businesses, fund-raisers? Is Cary residency required, or could a member work in Cary and live somewhere else? What, if any, ex-officio members should there be? Should Foundation meetings be open to the public?

The 90-minute forum, which is open to the public, begins at 7:00 PM in the Cary Town Council Chamber and will be televised live on Cary’s Government Access Channel. While Wednesday’s forum will not involve comments or questions from the audience, the Town will hold a public hearing in May for such feedback prior to Council’s June adoption of next fiscal year’s budget.

Comprehensive information about Cary’s unique education initiatives is available on the town’s website at www.townofcary.org.

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