RALEIGH--With school only about three weeks away in most places, and no state budget, schools are trying to work with what they have. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jane Atkinson says money does make a difference in a school's ability to help all children succeed.

She says school superintendents are wondering how to plan for the upcoming school year when the House and Senate budgets are so different.

"In the Senate budget there is a reduction in teacher assistants, but an increase in the number of teachers. The House is different. The House continues with teacher assistants. That is a big issue for our school districts they want to know how much money they will have," she says.

Atkinson told Carolina Newsmakers that the House and Senate budgets have different ideas on how to handle teacher raises. She says that is not critical for the start of the school year, but it could be a challenge to go back and change.