Stay on top of breaking news!
Sign up for ABC News 4 e-mail alerts.
Summerville, SC -
$4 million has been slashed from Dorchester District Two’s budget. Officials say the mid-year cut may mean teacher furloughs as soon as next year.
“How much money?” Mrs. Wilson, a first grade teacher at Flowertown Elementary asks her students.
It’s math even those first graders cannot add up. The shortfall their school district is facing is so large, the district is pleading for help.
“This year we already had a $2.3 million cut in state funds and we’re looking for an additional $4 million. So, we’re talking over $15 million in cuts between state and local revenues,” said Allyson Duke, the Chief Financial Officer for the district.
School officials went to Dorchester County Council and asked to keep their already hurting budget in tact.
“I’m here to plead our case one more time,” Duke said in front of council.
County Council, though, was not much help. They voted five to one to slash $4 million from the budget, but they did give the district $460,000 to help patch their deficit from last year.
School officials say the cut could be detrimental.
“I want people to understand that they cannot assume the school district is going to be alright,” Superintendent Joe Pye said. “We make it alright all the time. There is no more rabbit in the hat. The rabbit is gone and the money is gone.”
Officials say the district is already operating with only 85% of their staff. They will not be able to hire new teachers, may have to furlough teachers and could increase class sizes.
“It has become a quality issue,” added Pye. “Hopefully we can dodge this bullet and pull from everything that won’t hurt the children.”
District officials say they will get some help next year from $4 million in stimulus money, but that will not be enough to fill the gap.
Email To Friend 
© 2009 WCIV-TV, LLC.
The Associated Press may have contributed to this article.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
ABC News 4 to leave comments on news stories.