Associated Press Published

Public Schools Face Cuts Under Spending Reduction

Classroom

An education official says West Virginia’s public schools face an estimated $16 million cut in state aid under the governor’s spending reductions.

Department of Education chief operations officer Joe Panetta tells The Charleston Gazette-Mail that the level of cuts won’t be finalized until Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin issues an executive order this week.

Tomblin ordered a 1 percent reduction in state public school aid last week, along with an across-the-board 4 percent spending cut for state agencies. Tomblin said the cuts are necessary because of unexpected and unprecedented drops in severance tax revenues.

Calhoun County’s school system is expected to lose $73,000 in state aid. The county has been working to reduce a deficit. Schools superintendent Tim Woodward says cutting another $73,000 out of the budget won’t be easy.