The superintendent of Idaho’s largest school district expects to lose $8 million in state general funding during the next fiscal year and, at the same time, enroll about 900 new students.
Meridian Superintendent Linda Clark says the district will have to consider salary cuts to balance the budget, along with shifting a larger percentage of benefit costs to employees.
Clark says 85 percent of an Idaho school district’s budget is dedicated to salaries and benefits, which leaves administrators few other places to turn after two straight years of funding losses.
Idaho’s $1.58 billion public education budget for next year represents a 7.5 percent cut compared to this fiscal year.
The Meridian district’s governing board will further discuss their budget plan on Tuesday. (AP)
