Schools face slashed budget

By Staff
Thomas Tingle
Record Managing Editor
While Madison City Schools could face a $2.5 million budget cut for the 2003-2004 school year, Superintendent Dr. Henry Clark said the local school system will be able to ride through the revenue loss.
As every school system in the state braces for six to eight percent proration next year, Clark said Madison's $40 million school budget could be hit with a $1.5 million loss. An additional $1 million loss could come due to Madison having to pay for an additional 21 "locally funded" teachers. Clark said at the present time, 30 teachers in the system are paid through the local budget, rather than through state funding, but the state is expected to bump that number up to 51 teachers.
"We are fortunate that our economy and our tax receipts here in Madison remain strong," Clark said. "We are bracing for proration and it will affect our budget, but we will be able to get through the loss."
Clark said he has already met with his directors and a plan is in place for a six percent cut across the board in areas such as maintenance.
"We will get through the 2002-2003 school year and we do not have plans to cut any staff members due to proration next year," Clark said. "We are having to tighten our belt as we complete our fifth year as an independent school system and our goal has been and will always be that the quality of education will not be affected by budget cuts. We have a good fund balance and a nest egg that we are relying on."