Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is considering hiring a lobbyist.
The Board of Education met for a workshop on Tuesday to begin planning a legislative agenda. They discussed priorities like increasing state allotments for staff, raising salaries and modifying the state’s school performance grade model.
The Board also talked about hiring a lobbyist — advice they’d been given by some county commissioners and local legislators. Board Member Leah Crowley had some reservations.
“Looking at the districts that do have a lobbyist, what's the value that they have actually brought to their district? Because they haven't successfully lobbied for flexible calendar start, they haven't successfully lobbied for increased pay or master's pay," Crowley said. "The list goes on as to what has not been successfully lobbied.”
Cost was another concern as the district is still contending with a $37 million deficit. But Board Member Sabrina Coone argued that the more voices lobbying for school needs, the better.
"If you have more people fighting for the same things from different directions, the message is louder," Coone said. "It's saying, 'Guilford is saying this, Forsyth is saying this, Wake is saying this, wow, they're all saying the same things.' I think there's more collective power in that than in one person being a voice for everybody."
The chairperson said she’d talk to other districts with lobbyists about the return on investment they’ve seen.
The Board will also continue to work on drafting a legislative agenda, which will eventually be brought to a regular board meeting for final approval.
