Meeting Scheduled for Budget Crisis in Cobb Schools

A meeting has been scheduled for Monday, March 24, to discuss the school budget concerns facing Cobb Schools.

The meeting, at 7 p.m. at McClure Middle School, will include State Sen. Lindsey Tippins, School Board Members Brad Wheeler and Randy Scamihorn, former Cobb superintendent and Save Our Schools member Kermit Keenum, and FACE it Cobb Director Kristy Flowers.

Two McClure teachers will also be on the panel and there will be an opportunity for questions from audience members.

Last May, the Cobb Board of Education approved a fiscal year 2014 budget that includes five furlough days for teachers and staff, a reduction of 182 teaching positions through attrition, a half-year step increase for employees and taking $41 million from reserves to reach a balance.

At the time, Chief finance officer Brad Johnson said the Cobb school district is looking at a $60 million deficit for fiscal year 2015 just to start, and that the figure was likely to rise.