By Rebecca Rider

rebecca.rider@gmail.com

SALISBURY — Two hot-button topics are up for discussion at Monday night’s Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education meeting.

The meeting, which begins at 5 p.m., will cover the district’s technology lease with Apple, Inc., as well as a resolution in support of House Bill 42, which would put the board’s non-partisan nature up for a county-wide vote.

This year marks the system’s third and final year of its lease with Apple, a contract which provided a laptop or iPad to every student in the district. The board has been discussing a possible lease renewal since January, and are expected to vote on the issue Monday. Should it be approved, the lease will cost approximately $14 million. A $3 million downpayment funded by current device buy back means the school system would pay approximately $11 million over the next three years.

Staff have previously recommended renewing the lease in order to prevent a second implementation dip and to avoid restructuring its technological infrastructure, among others.

At its Feb. 13 meeting, the board asked staff for the opinions of staff, students and teachers as well as information on whether the initiative has met its original goals. Staff will present the results of a survey of students, parents, teachers and local businesses Monday.

The board is also expected to discuss a resolution in support of House Bill 42, which would put the board’s non-partisan nature up to a county-wide vote. The board previously discussed the possibility of asking for a referendum from the general assembly in a contentious Dec. 12 meeting. The issue was tabled, but has worked its way back onto the board’s agenda after Rep. Harry Warren put the issue in front of the N.C. General Assembly with House Bill 42.

Should it pass, the bill would put the decision up to Rowan County voters, with partisan elections starting as early as 2018 if approved.

The board will meet in the Wallace Educational Forum board room, 500 N. Main St., at 5 p.m. Public comment will be held at 6 p.m.

In other business the board:

• Will discuss the possibility of putting several eligible county schools up for a charter-like restart model recently approved by the state. The move would keep schools under the supervision of the board, but would grant flexibility over calendars, personnel and school improvement planning processes. The restart model has already been approved for North Rowan Elementary and North Rowan High School. However, 11 other schools are eligible for a restart model.
• Will consider approving a loan documentation agreement with the Rowan County Board of Commissioners.
• Will hear an update from the restorative classroom pilot program.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.