The Troup County School System is proposing closing West Side Magnet School, eliminating almost 60 teachers – one-third in art and music – and cutting its budget by 8 percent to make up for a projected $11.1 million shortfall next year.
The state Quality Basic Education grant, part of its funding to the local school system, has decreased since 2008, said schools superintendent Cole Pugh during a special meeting of the school board Monday. Although federal stimulus funds and property tax revenue increases related to Kia have helped stave off more dramatic effects of a decrease of $34.2 million in funds over the last four years, the system still has seen a net loss of $17.5 million in QBE funds.
State mandates for personnel expenses have increased, like employer matching contributions for health insurance, expected to increase by $755,160 next year, and retirement, expected to increase by $681,889 next year, Pugh said. Coupled with the decreased amount of state funding, the school system is bearing more of the burden. The school system also expects a $1.1 million increase in state-mandated salary step increase costs.
Pugh said the school system ranks 70th out of 180 in cost per student at $8,760, 1.3 percent above the state average. Administrative expense is 2 percent below the state average,
The school system also will see a shortfall in transportation funding, with a $4 million disparity in the red between the cost of transportation and funds from the state.
The biggest impact will come from the state’s equalization grant. Troup County recently moved up the wealth ranking from 96 to 55, Pugh said, largely due to the property value of Kia in the county. Troup this year receives $6.3 million from the grant, but the change in ranking has affected how much the state will fund, and changes expected to the state’s formula would mean Troup gets nothing from equalization funds next year.
The total deficit in state funds is projected to be about $20.3 million. The school system also will receive no more federal stimulus funds. Continuing measures like furlough days for employees and operating expense reductions, like its energy management program, is projected to leave the deficit at $11.1 million.
The options Pugh outlined Monday, which came from the school system’s advisory task force, administrators and program managers, included:
•Close West Side Magnet School, a projected savings of $907,515.
•Reduce next year’s budget to 92 percent of the current, about a $7 million reduction.
•Cut 118 positions, an expected reduction of $7.9 million.
•Add two leave without pay, or furlough, days for all staff, a $927,000 reduction.
•Reduce some staff an additional three days, a $169,000 reduction.
•Utilize about $1.2 million of its reserve.
Almost 60 teachers would be cut under the proposals. Those include 19 music and art teachers and four gifted teachers at the elementary school level. Two fine arts teachers would be cut at the middle school level, among a handful of physical education, English, math, science, social studies and career technical teachers at middle and high school levels. Twenty media assistants would lost their jobs with two other paraprofessional employees.
A principal, four assistant principals, three school secretaries, a nurse, two social workers, a part-time psychologist and part-time speech pathologist, media specialist, two counselors, the equivalent of one full-time and one part-time administrators, two administrative secretaries, eight bus drivers, 11 custodians and a groundskeeper also could lose their jobs.
The school board will make the final decision on what actions to take. Pugh said he likely would ask the board in March to make a decision.
School board chairman John Darden encouraged residents to call state legislators about the state’s change in funding for schools.
“No matter what you believe about this system, what your opinion of right and wrong may be, call your legislators and let them know how you feel,” he said.
Some school personnel plan to protest the proposals to cut employees today.
The budget outlines and proposals are available on the school system’s website at www.troup.k12.ga.us. Anyone with questions or comments was asked to email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Read more: La Grange News - Schools propose school closure cut 118 jobs
