Goochland schools face staff cuts because of budget

Goochland County schools will have to cut staff because of budget reductions, school officials say.

The cuts are in response to the county's projected revenue shortfall of $2.5 million this year and $5.4 million next year.

In an Oct. 6 letter to school Superintendent Linda Underwood, County Administrator Rebecca T. Dickson wrote that in 2011 local funding for schools will be cut by 15 percent, or $2.9 million. The county also is asking the school system to cut $650,000 from this year's $27.1 million budget.

The school system employs about 400 workers, including 200 teachers.

Underwood met with nearly 300 of those staff members Wednesday afternoon to discuss the reduced funding. She hasn't said how many staff members could be cut because of the budget shortfall.

"Tragically, we will have to make reductions in staff," she added. "Eighty percent of our budget goes toward contracted staff, so we don't have much left in terms of other things we can cut."

The school system has about $478,000 in unexpended funds. If the Board of Supervisors agrees, the system can use this money toward the $650,000 reduction.

But school officials are scrambling to accommodate next year's $2.9 million loss.

"The idea of reducing the local appropriation by $2.9 million is unheard of," Underwood said. "We have worked so hard in Goochland County to put together a quality program. The idea of going into that, of making it less than I want it to be, is really painful."

The process of balancing next year's budget has been further complicated by a $500,000 increase in employee health-insurance costs.

"Health insurance is eating us alive, as are increases in fuel, oil, water and electricity," Underwood said. "Those are fixed costs that are out of our control. But right now, mandated and required programs, and fixed costs, those things are safe--that's it."

Although the school system is trying to cut services and programs in ways that will have the least impact on students, the superintendent says it is inevitable that children will be affected.

Goochland traditionally starts its budget process earlier than surrounding counties, Underwood said.

"We're the first one in the state that has to dig into the budget, but other school divisions will get local cuts," she said. "No one expects the kind of decrease we're looking at in Goochland County -- we're the first, but we're not going to be alone."

Amy Condra is editor of the Goochland Gazette.