Selectmen suggested that cuts should be considered to the administrative portion of the school budget.
LUDLOW - When the School Committee meets Tuesday it is scheduled to begin prioritizing the cuts it will make if no additional funds become available to the proposed fiscal 2013 School Department budget.
Interim School Superintendent Donna Hogan has proposed a fiscal 2013 school budget of $25.4 million, which she says is $579,000 under the fiscal 2012 spending level due to cuts in grants and federal stimulus money.
School officials are hoping that some additional funds will become available in the form of additional state aid to the town and the schools.
Selectmen told the School Committee the town has to live within its means and taxpayers cannot afford another large tax increase.
Selectmen said School Committee members may have to make their case before Town Meeting if they hope to get additional funds for the School Department budget.
The School Committee has heard from students and parents who object to losing a science and technology teacher at Baird Middle School and a Portuguese language teacher at Ludlow High School.
“We’ll take the issue up Tuesday,” School Committee Chairman Charles D. Mullin said.
Hogan has proposed cutting 10 teachers, a guidance counselor at the high school, three teacher aids and two tutors.
Enrollment in the elementary schools will be down next year by about 60 students, Hogan said. She said many of the cuts will be made through retirements and resignations.
Selectmen Chairman Jason Barroso suggested that administrative costs in the School Department may be too high.
He suggested that school officials consider cutting one of two assistant principal positions at the high school.
Selectman Carmina Fernandes said, “The public is our boss, and they have told us that budgets are out of control.”
Fernandes also suggested that the administrative part of the School Department budget may be too high.
“If you have too many chiefs and not enough Indians, you will lose,” Fernandes said.
She said the School Department budget may need to be streamlined at the administrative level.