BEDFORD — Looking to cut $7 million in the next fiscal year, Bedford County Schools Superintendent Douglas Schuch recommended a budget proposal Thursday that would eliminate 124 full-time positions and close two elementary schools.
Under Schuch’s plan, the division would lose 67 general education and elective teaching positions, 37 school and central office-based teaching and support positions and 20 jobs from school and program consolidations.
Body Camp Elementary School and Thaxton Elementary School would be closed and the majority of surrounding preschool programs would be relocated to those buildings, Schuch said. Big Island Elementary School, which a school board member had previously mentioned as a possible closure site, is not included in proposed changes.
Schuch said Thursday the division faces a $6.2 million cut from the state, $800,000 less in federal money, and a $600,000 loss in contribution from the city of Bedford. It could stand to lose more if Bedford County does not contribute the same amount of funding as it did for the current $100 million operational budget, he said. The division also faces $1.2 million in additional costs for employee benefits and other increases, he said.
The division will ask the county to move $800,000 from a project maintenance fund to the operational fund to make up some of the difference. Another $1 million is expected to be generated by fees charged for extracurricular and other activities.
Schuch had earlier said consolidating smaller schools should be an issue to address next year, but those plans were altered when Gov. Bob McDonnell announced earlier this week that he would unfreeze the local composite index, a formula the state uses to figure allocations to school systems. The measure means the division would see another $3.4 million in losses, which Schuch said is disappointing but not completely unexpected.
There are still unknown factors that could come into play, Schuch said.
“We believe there could be additional cuts across the board,” he said of state cuts.
The Bedford County School Board voted Thursday to approve a program to offer voluntary retirement incentives to eligible employees in a move that Schuch said could help minimize the impact of layoffs.
“I don’t think any of us expect 124 people to retire,” said Schuch. “Unfortunately, we’re going to have to let some people go.”
The program offers full-time employees 50 years or older with 30 years of service, at least five of which must be with Bedford’s system, a one-time supplementary payment of $500 for each year of employment with the division up to a maximum payment of $15,000.
The division will begin sending letters to more than 150 eligible employees today, Schuch said, and will hold information sessions over the next eight days to campaign for volunteers.
Nearly 30 elementary school teachers, 24 high school teachers and 15 middle school teachers are subject to layoffs in the proposed budget. The job cuts would save $6.1 million and make up for the majority of the funding shortfall, Schuch said.
Classroom sizes would also increase. Schuch said the change is a “significant increase in current practice.”
The division currently includes 23 school facilities and employs 1,700 employees.
Shirley McCabe, the school board member who represents the Thaxton community, said during a budget work session Thursday she felt the school was “discriminated against” because there was no forewarning or input about the possible elementary school closure.
“We don’t need this made behind closed doors,” McCabe said of the proposal, which drew applause from about 30 people who crowded the school board’s conference room to hear Schuch’s recommendation.
Schuch said he had not mentioned any school by name prior to Thursday and felt board members should hear his proposal first. He said he would soon visit the school to discuss the plan.
School board member Dave Vaden said he feels there should be a closer look taken into reducing employees’ pay to potentially save jobs. He said he believes people would rather suffer less income than a total job loss and should understand the measure.
“I think we need to look at that before we start closing down schools,” Vaden said.
Another measure in the proposed budget includes eliminating an early college program that was created in recent years to allow juniors and seniors to enroll in college courses. Schuch said juniors currently enrolled in the program would be able to finish next year but it would not enroll new students, according to the plan.
The new budget would take effect July 1. The school board is set to next meet Feb. 18 and will hold a public hearing Feb. 25. Final budget adoption is targeted for April.
“These are difficult decisions that need to be made and they don’t need to be made with haste,” Chairwoman Debbie Hoback said. “We’re welcoming any and all ideas.”
Gary Hostutler, the school board member who represents Forest, said he is hopeful the retirement incentives and attrition will ease job losses and more should be known within the next 30 days.
“It’s very difficult times,” Hostutler said. “We have to hope the numbers don’t get worse.”
Budget highlights:
Operational fund: $94.2 million (a 5 percent decrease)
Total reduction needed to balance: $7 million
Areas to make up shortfall:
Workforce reduction: $6.1 million
Savings in debt service: $300,000
Delay of bus purchases: $200,000
Other program reductions: $400,000
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