Politics & Government

School Superintendent Says of Budgets: 'We are at a Tipping Point in our School System'

Guthrie said the school system may again be facing drastic cuts budget in FY 2014.

Carroll County School Superintendent Stephen Guthrie recently sent a message to parents with an update on next year's budget and "possible consequences to our school system."

The Board of Education held its annual budget work session on Dec. 5.  At that meeting Guthrie expressed concern about next year's possible revenue and presented some options to address likely budget shortfalls.  In his message to parents, Guthrie wrote "there is a strong possibility that we will again have to reduce spending by millions of dollars". 

Guthrie said that county Maintenance of Effort funding (the minimum funding required by the state) and reduced state funding coupled with increasing costs to run the school system could mean $9 million in funding cuts to next year's school budget.

"Make no mistake – we are at a tipping point in our school system," Guthrie wrote to parents. "Our funding for the next few years will determine the quality of education we will be able to provide to our students next year and in the future." 

Guthrie said that the school system has absorbed $20 million in reductions over the last five years.  He said his hope is that the county will fund the school system at the same amount as this current year or increase funding.

Click here to view budget scenarios Guthrie presented at the Dec. 5 work session.

According to Guthrie, the next step in the process is the release of his proposed operating budget for next year. This budget will be released on Jan. 9, 2013 when he presents his final budget recommendations to the Board of Education.  The Board votes on its preliminary budget in February and its final budget for fiscal year 2014 in May 2013. 

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