Speak Out: What Should Cobb Do to Balance School Budget?

by 350 positions is part of Chief Financial Officer Mike Addison’s plan to close a $62.4 million deficit in the budget for next school year.

The preliminary budget he presented earlier this month also calls for five furlough days, a 175-day school year, a half-year delay in the step increases in teacher salaries, bigger classes and reductions in the hours of paraprofessionals working in school libraries. 

Even with the cuts, the budget uses $21.5 million from the school system’s nearly $100 million fund balance to close the deficit.

Cobb Superintendent Michael Hinojosa if attrition doesn’t meet the District's plan to cut 350 teaching positions. Cobb is 200 teachers short of that 350 goal.

Hinojosa noted the chaos the Cobb schools experienced two years ago when the system laid off hundreds of teachers, then hired most of them back.

He said the staff will present criteria at the next work session for possible reductions in force.

What do you think Cobb should do to balance school budget? Is cutting more teacher positions a good solution? Speak out in the comments!