“It’s just devastating.” That’s the way North Judson-San Pierre School Superintendent Lynn Johnson and Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney described the cuts these two systems will have to make in the 2011-2012 school year.
Lynn Johnson talked about the cuts to her system.
“We are possibly losing $1.2 million,” said Mrs. Johnson. “For a small school, that is a devastating amount.”
Oregon Davis School Superintendent, Dr. Disney, said his school will probably be trimming a half million. The blame, again, rests with a changing funding formula.
“They’re changing it at a time where it will have a negative impact in the funding of those small schools,” said Dr. Disney. “The previous formula helped small schools get through difficult times. They’re taking that away.”
Last year North Judson-San Pierre’s Board had to cut $500,000. Now it’s going to be asked to cut another $1.2 million. Cuts like that can’t be done without reduction in staff.
“Now we are going to have to look at big budget cuts that are going to affect programs and staffing, probably class sizes to some extent and looking at some of those classes that perhaps have a small enrollment that we might not be able to offer in the future,” said Mrs. Johnson.
Both schools are losing what are called restoration grants and small school grants. North Judson-San Pierre is losing $800,000 in restoration grants alone. Because the Knox School System is larger, it did not receive small school grants and a minimal amount from restoration grants so it is feeling little impact.
