PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Portage Public Schools Board is approving a new budget for the upcoming school year, but trustees are calling it their “worst case scenario” budget.
It passed Monday evening, the same day the Kalamazoo Public Schools Board also approved their budget cuts.
The budget projects about $8 million dollars in cuts which is approximately $650 to $750 per student.
The district is also proposing a number of layoffs including 36 teachers and four administrative support staff members as well as the possibility of cutting about 60 paraprofessionals, which is about 50% of the staff.
The budget cuts include slashing funding for middle school athletics and other programs, a 7% reduction in administration and teacher staffing costs, elimination to book purchasing for the media centers, and more.
However, the budget could most likely change as state lawmakers decide what funding will look like.
Superintendent Mark Bielang added that this budget is only the starting point and a “worst case scenario” that hopefully they can go only up from.
In an earlier meeting Bieland stated, “…this is by far the most difficult budgeting cycle that I’ve ever been through.”
By law the budget must be submitted in Lansing by July 1st, even though there are a lot of questions of what school will look like after the coronavirus pandemic.
