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Schools could lose $255,000 in state funding
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| Nurse Audrey Decker, who serves students at Rabun County High School and Rabun County Middle School, tests eighth-grader Jesse Smith's hearing. Rabun County Schools will lose $1,168.84 in state funding from its nursing budget if Gov. Sonny Perdue approves a 2 percent cut to education grants. |
By Matt Henderson Staff Writer
Reductions in state revenue have caused Gov. Sonny Perdue to consider reducing education grants by 2 percent.
Rabun County Schools Superintendent Matt Arthur said if the cuts were approved the Rabun system could lose up to $255,000.
"There is a lot of talk about what exactly is going to come down from the state," Arthur told the Board of Education on Aug. 21. "But what is promised is we are going to get cut and we are going to get cut this fiscal year." Nothing official had been announced regarding the budget cuts.
Arthur received an e-mail Aug. 20 that said Rabun could have 2 percent of its state funding cut from preschool handicapped, pupil transportation, Quality Basic Education funding and school nursing budgets.
Rabun County Schools transportation director Katrina Williams said she had already instructed her drivers on ways to reduce costs.
"We are having to watch the drivers who take their buses home at night and in the middle of the day," she said.
Some drivers take their buses home at night to save money. Williams said the school board already had been cutting back on field trips in an effort to counteract rising fuel costs.
"If their route starts where they live, it makes sense for them to take a bus home," she said. "If all the bus drivers left their buses here, it would double our fuel costs."
According to budget records, Rabun currently receives $448,617 in state funds for transportation. That means the 2 percent cuts could take back $8,972.34 for the fiscal year.
Williams added that bus transportation for after-school students had been reduced to four days instead of five.
"They could be cut again; we are not sure," she said.
She said some costs, like new parts and maintenance, could not be avoided.
JoAlice Ray, director for student services, oversees the preschool handicapped funding for the school system. She said budget cuts would not seriously affect the program.
Ray said $31,948 could be taken from the $1.6 million salary budget she receives from the state.
"We are already committed to those salaries," she said. Local money would have to be used to pay those salaries.
She said she could lose $600 of the $30,049 operating budget she receives from the state.
"Luckily I have a federal grant for preschool that won't be cut," Ray said. "I have bought a lot of things for my kindergarten and preschool programs in the past few years, so we will not be hurting as much when it comes to instructional materials."
Ray said the special education program would have to cut back on field trips and "things that are not absolutely necessary."
The nursing program could have $1,168.84 taken from the $58,442 it currently receives from the state.
"Our school nurses operate in the schools as equitably as they can," said Cathie NeSmith, Rabun County High School health occupation teacher and nursing supervisor.
NeSmith said the system was lucky to have the three nurses that it does. The system currently has one nurse for the high school and middle school and one for each kindergarten through second-grade school.
Arthur said Georgia had seen a growing trend in the reduction of funding for public schools during the past several years. If Perdue freezes the homestead exemption tax credit, Rabun could lose more state funding.
"If he holds on to homestead exemption, that could be another $250,000," he said.
Rabun County Schools Superintendent Matt Arthur said if the cuts were approved the Rabun system could lose up to $255,000.
"There is a lot of talk about what exactly is going to come down from the state," Arthur told the Board of Education on Aug. 21. "But what is promised is we are going to get cut and we are going to get cut this fiscal year." Nothing official had been announced regarding the budget cuts.
Arthur received an e-mail Aug. 20 that said Rabun could have 2 percent of its state funding cut from preschool handicapped, pupil transportation, Quality Basic Education funding and school nursing budgets.
Rabun County Schools transportation director Katrina Williams said she had already instructed her drivers on ways to reduce costs.
"We are having to watch the drivers who take their buses home at night and in the middle of the day," she said.
Some drivers take their buses home at night to save money. Williams said the school board already had been cutting back on field trips in an effort to counteract rising fuel costs.
"If their route starts where they live, it makes sense for them to take a bus home," she said. "If all the bus drivers left their buses here, it would double our fuel costs."
According to budget records, Rabun currently receives $448,617 in state funds for transportation. That means the 2 percent cuts could take back $8,972.34 for the fiscal year.
Williams added that bus transportation for after-school students had been reduced to four days instead of five.
"They could be cut again; we are not sure," she said.
She said some costs, like new parts and maintenance, could not be avoided.
JoAlice Ray, director for student services, oversees the preschool handicapped funding for the school system. She said budget cuts would not seriously affect the program.
Ray said $31,948 could be taken from the $1.6 million salary budget she receives from the state.
"We are already committed to those salaries," she said. Local money would have to be used to pay those salaries.
She said she could lose $600 of the $30,049 operating budget she receives from the state.
"Luckily I have a federal grant for preschool that won't be cut," Ray said. "I have bought a lot of things for my kindergarten and preschool programs in the past few years, so we will not be hurting as much when it comes to instructional materials."
Ray said the special education program would have to cut back on field trips and "things that are not absolutely necessary."
The nursing program could have $1,168.84 taken from the $58,442 it currently receives from the state.
"Our school nurses operate in the schools as equitably as they can," said Cathie NeSmith, Rabun County High School health occupation teacher and nursing supervisor.
NeSmith said the system was lucky to have the three nurses that it does. The system currently has one nurse for the high school and middle school and one for each kindergarten through second-grade school.
Arthur said Georgia had seen a growing trend in the reduction of funding for public schools during the past several years. If Perdue freezes the homestead exemption tax credit, Rabun could lose more state funding.
"If he holds on to homestead exemption, that could be another $250,000," he said.
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