Gwinnett County Public Schools will furlough teachers and other staff for a third straight year and increase class sizes by two students to help offset a projected $89 million budget shortfall next year, it was announced Thursday.
These two efforts combined are projected to save the district $43 million.
The state's largest school district, which is set to begin formal budget meetings next month, also is expected to eliminate 54 central office positions and small raises for teachers.
It will be the third year of staff furloughs for the district of 162,000 students. Bus drivers and school nutrition staff are expected to be exempt. Staff were furloughed two days this year and three last and will be furloughed two days next year..
School board members expressed concern Thursday that the continued cuts are hurting teacher morale and soon could affect learning.
"We cannot expect to do more with less forever," board member Robert McClure said.
Rick Cost, the system's chief financial officer, said the projected shortfall is due in large part to a 7.5 percent drop in local property values, which translates into $36 million less in revenue for the district. Since 2008, property tax collections have fallen 24 percent, for a loss of $133 million to the district.
The system also is facing an $11 million increase in its share of employee health insurance premiums for more than 6,000 classified workers, including bus drivers and clerical workers. In addition, the district no longer has federal stimulus money, which this year gave Gwinnett $31 million to balance its budget.
For a third straight year, the district won't be giving teachers raises based on training and experience, even though Gov. Nathan Deal announced in his State of the State address in January that he was sending local school districts $55.8 million for that purpose. Teachers have not had step pay increases since 2010, Cost said.
Gwinnett's share of the money -- estimated at $7.8 million -- instead will go to offset $113 million in austerity cuts from the state, Cost said. The school system is receiving only about 87 percent of what it's due under the state funding formula, he said.
The new fiscal year starts July 1, and Gwinnett school officials are expected to fund the budget without a property tax increase or employee pay cuts.
The savings from the cut in central office staff are forecast at $1.6 million. All of those jobs are currently vacant, Cost said.
The superintendent officially will present his budget recommendations to the school board later this month.
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