School officials said they will have to cut 15 positions next year including 10 teachers, a guidance counselor, two teacher aids and two tutors to stay within the guidelines set by selectmen.
LUDLOW - School Committee members have decided to seek a special meeting with the Finance Committee after selectmen said they will not support additional funds for the fiscal 2013 School Department budget.
School officials said their proposed $25.4 million is $579,000 less than the fiscal 2012 school budget.
Selectmen said residents faced a 7 to 8 percent increase in their tax bill this year, and they have heard from residents that they cannot afford another large tax increase.
Jacob R. OliveiraSchool officials said they will have to cut 15 positions next year including 10 teachers, a guidance counselor, two teacher aids and two tutors to stay within the guidelines set by selectmen.
At Tuesday’s School Committee meeting, School Committee member Jacob Oliveira said that now that all federal stimulus funds have been used up, the School Department budget is no longer sustainable without additional help from the town.
Oliveira said the School Department lost 11 positions in 2009, five positions in 2010-11 and eight positions in 2011-2012 for a total of 25 positions.
“The School Department has made cuts,” he said.
Oliveira said the School Department has state mandates it has to fund such as special education mandates and providing bus transportation for students who live more than two miles from school.
“Even if there are only a few students on the bus, we still have to provide the bus,” Oliveira said.
School Committee member James P. Harrington said he understands that all sectors, including residents, “are feeling the pinch,” partly because of increased fuel charges.
He said, however, that the School Committee should seek a meeting with the Finance Committee to seek support for additional School Department funds.
Some additional state aid is expected to become available to the town, he said.
There could be an additional $100,000 in state aid to the schools and $300,000 additional aid to the community, school officials said.
Harrington said that as well as meeting with the Finance Committee, school officials should some additional public hearings to explain the proposed School Department budget to taxpayers and seek their support for additional funds at Town Meeting.
The annual Town Meeting is Monday, but selectmen have said they will delay voting on all budget articles until sometime in June.