Schools’ budget to be $1.2 million less

Madison City Schools will see a budget cut of approximately $1.2 million for the 2011 fiscal year.

The news comes after Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley’s announcement of a 3 percent proration in the Education Trust Fund for fiscal year 2011, and plans to declare a 15 percent proration in the state’s General Fund.

Bentley said the current Education Trust Fund budget has a $165 million shortfall while the current General Fund budget has a $110 million shortfall, all of which will affect the more than 130 Alabama school systems.

“We will have to come in and evaluate the budget and see where there areas that we can make any types of cuts,” said Superintendent Dr. Dee Fowler. “We had presumed this when we were building a budget, so we did have a little buffer in there.”

School officials will meet Thursday to discuss the right plan of action for the city’s school system.

“It’s very distressing news, but the bottom line is that we still have to have school and offer a great education,” Fowler said. “This is just another opportunity for us to roll up our sleeves for revisions.”