This evening at the Knox County School Board budget hearing, the Superintendent changed his budget proposal to reflect input from board members and staff. The changes include:

Reducing the Teacher Reallignment by $1.3 million from $2.3 to a $1.0 million dollar reduction from the budget.

Eliminate the $400,000.00 reduction in Middle School foreign language program.
(Instead of Middle School foreign language at selected middle schools, implement a foreign language pilot project in 3 elementary schools)

Now include the following reductions not in the previous Superintendent recommendation.

Transportation budget – reduce $500,000.00 (nothing specific was discussed except that the new GPS system installed this past year, will help to identify reductions.)

$1.2 million in additional reductions. (debt service, consolidate and close some small schools, these small schools have enrollment of 102 and 115 with continued declining enrollment, contracted services, supplies/materials, non-teaching personnel)

This brings the Superintendent’s recommendation to $326, 500,000.00