Budget cuts may put 20 school districts in red

The Clarion-Ledger, 11/3/8

More than 20 Mississippi K-12 public school districts may fall into a deficit when districts statewide trim 2 percent of their fund balance to offset a decrease in state funding.

Another 10 or 15 districts could go into the red in the 2010 fiscal year if proposed cuts of 4 percent are made.

Gov. Haley Barbour has asked state agencies, including the Department of Education, to look for ways to cut at least 2 percent from their budgets this year because revenue likely will fall short of previous estimates. For the Department of Education, that means about $50.4 million in K-12 school funding will be cut this year and double that next year.