The Alamance-Burlington Board of Education discussed some budget-cutting options this week that would not involve layoffs, but job cuts are not off the table as the board tries to address what it calls a $3.2 million shortfall through the end of June.
Rising utility costs, increased staff benefits, substitute teacher costs, fluctuations in insurance costs, rising charter school costs and some non-teaching positions that are staffed over the state allotment have all contributed to the budget deficit, said Lowell Rogers, deputy superintendent of the Alamance-Burlington School System.
Three proposals presented to the school board could potentially save a total of more than $3.6 million.
One proposal would eliminate vacant positions for such positions as high school counselors, assistant principals and school nurses. It would save about $1.7 million.
Another proposal, with a potential annual savings of $181,071, would reduce the number of months that some employees work, which would reduce their pay. This would affect some assistant principals, high school counselors, and exceptional children and student services staff.
A third, with a potential annual savings of more than $1.7 million, would lay off some assistant principals and part-time middle school office support staff, and it would cut dual-language offerings at all middle schools, eliminate fourth and fifth grades at the ABSS Virtual School, and cut some elementary elective offerings.
School board member Dan Ingle and several others said they want to reach out to the Alamance County Board of Commissioners to ask for additional money before any staff reductions are made.
Board member Seneca Rogers said that there is a lot for the board to study before making a decision.
“There are a lot of options, and we need to exhaust all of them to try to avoid cutting positions and programs,” he said.
The school board will meet on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. to consider its next steps.
