Lee County leaders present fiscal‑responsibility plan and proposed reorganization; psychologists warn rework could harm services

Superintendent Dr. Niese Carlin and senior staff presented a multi‑part fiscal responsibility action plan and a proposed reorganization of central office on April 8, saying the moves are intended to reallocate resources toward classrooms and generate recurring savings.

Chiefs and cabinet members told trustees the district conducted a multi‑year review of staffing and organizational structure and recommended reducing the number of director‑and‑above positions from 69 to 50. Dr. Carlin said the draft reorganization and other central office reductions would free about $1 million from the reorganization, which the administration planned to pair with roughly $15.9 million in other reductions to create a reallocation pool of about $17 million; Dr. Carlin and Dr. Savage also cited an additional $3 million saved in related moves, producing a combined figure the superintendent described in the meeting as about $20 million in potential reallocations.

"We will save over a million dollars with the work chart that Dr. Savage just described," Dr. Carlin said, and she told board members the changes are intended to increase funds going to schools and to create a…