Kentwood Schools Prepared for Cuts

Kentwood- Last spring, the Kentwood school district cut 50 positions by early retirements and layoffs, and closed one elementary school. Those cuts, which saved $4.6 million, and along with a healthy fund balance, will protect the district from mid-year cuts from the anticipated $265 per student state school aid budget reduction. According to District Superintendent Scott Palezewski, the district prepared for reductions, just not the deep cuts that will occur.
“We budgeted for about $100 per pupil less from the state for this year. We budgeted for about 200 less students. Unfortunately, the cuts are even deeper," he said. With the anticipated $292 per pupil cut, the district stands to lose about $2.5 million.
“I think our second semester will look very much like our first semester. I don't think we're going to see any significant changes for this year," Palczewski said. "Our board and our finance director have done a very good job of trying to plan ahead and prepare the district."
"This is a very serious funding issue and to think that we're all going to get out of this just by making cuts isn't the answer. We need to find new ways of funding education," Palczewski said.

Full article -MLive.com