County schools to lay off 40

The board took no action on its layoff plan — called a Reduction in Force (RIF) — but anticipates taking a vote during its regular meeting Monday, April 12, at 6 p.m.

“What we’re looking at are positions that can be reduced that won’t affect the core academic program,” said board chairperson Kathy Wilbanks. “We’re looking at some extra things that have some overlapping positions that we can double up.”

The anticipated layoff plan will affect the entire Jackson County School System — from the central office to every school, she added. It will also include certified and classified positions.

Most school systems have also been hit with six furlough days this year and a six-percent cut in the state’s Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding.

The governor also cut by half the amount of federal stimulus funds - through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) - that school systems would receive in their 2011 budgets.

For the Jackson County School System, that’s a drop from $1.8 million in ARRA funds in 2010 to $900,000 in 2011. There’s no federal stimulus funds available for 2012.

Last year, the school system eliminated 38 teaching and non-teaching positions.

For the complete story, see the March 31 issue of The Commerce News