Franklin County school board approves reduction in force amid funding shortfall

The Franklin County School Board voted 6–2 Wednesday to approve a reduction in force proposed by district administrators, citing declining enrollment and an uncertain state budget that officials say will require steep cuts.

The motion — made by a board member and seconded by Clerk Mrs. Greer — was adopted after a roll-call vote. Chair (name not specified in the transcript) announced the motion carried 6–2.

Superintendent Dr. Sears told the board that the district entered a deficit last year and is projecting a drop of "over 100 students" next year, while the Local Composite Index (LCI) rose and state funding remains unclear. "We do not yet know what the state budget allocation will be," Dr. Sears said, adding that federal funding is expected at best to remain flat and could be reduced. "Knowing those pieces," he said, "we have to on the side of caution and make some pretty tough decisions."

Why it matters: Board action authorizes staff to reduce positions to avoid a deeper budget shortfall, with staffing changes expected to affect operations next school year and trigger schedule changes that will affect families and employees.

Dr. Sears said most reductions will occur through attrition and that the district aims to notify employees whose jobs are being cut "by this Friday." He said staff being transferred around to fill vacated roles should be notified by the following Friday (he referenced May 15 as a target). "People who are in positions that are being cut, outright, they will be notified by this Friday," he said.

The superintendent also outlined operational changes intended to lower transportation costs: the district is considering a hub-bus model that would put elementary, middle and high school students on the same buses, shorten routes and remove "somewhere between 15 and 20 buses" from service. "It will make us much more efficient," he said, and will likely require changes to school start and end times as well as pickup and drop-off procedures for parents.

Board discussion noted that accounting timing and front-loaded expenses can make year-end balances look worse on a cash basis than the final, settled accounts. One board member urged the district to examine fund commingling and restrictions on access and to improve the speed and clarity of financial reporting.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to adopt reduction in force proposed by administration (effective end of 2025–26 school year): Passed 6–2 (mover: a board member; second: Mrs. Greer). Member-level vote record not specified in the transcript; tally announced by the chair. - Resolution to add an authorized representative for deposit accounts (add Miss Wright Lawson): Approved by voice vote. - Update to designees authorized to act in the superintendent's absence (replace Miss Tuttle with Miss Wright Lawson): Approved by voice vote. - Approval of the meeting agenda: Approved by voice vote.

What’s next: Dr. Sears said the district will finalize the staffing and transportation plans and begin notifying affected employees and families, and a regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday with closed session at 5 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6 p.m.

Reporting notes: Where the transcript did not tie a vote to a named member, the article uses the vote tally read aloud by the chair. The transcript referenced dates and numbers ("over 100 students," "somewhere between 15 and 20 buses," target notification dates) as approximations provided by speakers; the article marks those figures as reported by the superintendent.