As officials with the Vigo County School Corporation try to fix a declining cash balance, over $4 million dollars in spending cuts have been proposed.
This three phase plan includes school consolidation, reducing administrative costs, and redesigning alternative education.
“Those spending cuts came as a recommendation from the superintendent. What we’re proposing is roughly $4 million dollars worth of cuts and some other areas that are a chance for us to enhance revenue,” said Dr. Rob Haworth, Vigo County Schools superintendent.
Pending an approval from the Vigo County School Board, these are cuts that would be made regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s vote on a proposed $7 million dollar per year operational referendum, but what is not known yet is how soon these cuts will be made or approved.
“The speed of which those take place and maybe the need for additional cuts are really important to tomorrow’s outcome for our referendum,” Haworth said.
Monday, the school board did not vote on Haworth’s proposed cuts.
School Board president Jackie Lower says if the referendum is approved by voters the process of finalizing cuts could move a bit more slowly.
“We will be able to move in a process that is going to involve the community, and the teachers, and some of the students,” Lower said.
If voters decide against an operational referendum, Lower says the school board may have to move much quicker due to more cuts being made.
“We’ll still involve those different components of people that are involved but still it’s going to be a faster process,” Lower said.
Also discussed Monday during a public work session, school officials met to talk about what moving staff and students out of McLean Education Center could look like in a five part plan.
