
It has been a tough budget year for several school districts across Metro Atlanta. After public hearing and committee reviews, the Atlanta School Board approved its Final Operation Budget for the 2013 fiscal year at $574.7 million. Like other Metro Atlanta school districts, budget cuts resulted in job cuts. APS’s final budget included cutting about 375 non-teaching positions, and cutting the school year by four furlough days instead of two. Part of the tentative plan included cutting a number of custodian jobs to save about $3 million. But the final budget saves the buck of those jobs cutting only several head custodial positions.
However, contracts with the nonprofits and volunteer groups have become a casualty of the budget battle. During the Monday night budget vote, parents and students held up signs opposing the board’s decision to cut funding to nonprofits like: Project GRAD, Communities in Schools and Hands on Atlanta. Parents told the board that cutting these successful community programs is a mistake, and no one asked about the success of these programs before cutting their funding.
APS trimmed its budget by some $47 million dollars including across the board departmental cuts by 10% and a slight property tax increase of about $4. Employees being laid off are expecting to receive notices this month.

Comments