The Georgia Council for Administrators of Special Education recognized the Carroll County school system’s special education program for the second consecutive year, Superintendent John Zauner told the Board of Education at its meeting Thursday night.

“This is actually the second time in two years our school system has been recognized for excellence in serving its special needs students,” Zauner said. “We’re actually very proud of that. We’re very pleased with the progress we’ve been making in that area.”

The system is one of the highest performers on one or more indicators when compared to systems of similar size, he said.

The school system’s special purpose local option sales tax revenue was down 21 percent in November dropping from $1,159,636 in November 2008 to $917,104 this year. So far this year, SPLOST receipts are down 8 percent and will likely remain down in December. This is the first time ever the system has taken in less SPLOST money than the previous year, said Chief Financial Officer Greg Denney.

Board members approved in their consent agenda the additional expense of $15,987 to solve a water pressure problem at the school. The additional money will be used to install pressure reduction valves.

The board also approved posting proposed Temple area attendance lines on the system’s Web site for public comment. The lines will change to include Providence Elementary School and also to relieve some of the overcrowded schools in Temple and Villa Rica.

The board also heard a complaint by Selassie Wallace speaking on behalf of the guardian of a special education student.

He had phoned middle school principal on behalf of that child and was disturbed, he said, because the principal hung up on him.

“I’ve been in administration for 11 years with the government and administration is not responsible unless you make them informed of what’s going on,” Wallace said. “My only job is to inform you what happened. Once I’ve informed you, it’s your job to act.”

He had a right to speak to the principal as a taxpayer in the school system and the principal should have listened, he said.

“That form of disrespect has a tendency of trickling down,” Wallace said. “I thought I had a right to speak with him to resolve this matter.”