The Marion Community Schools Board of Trustees unanimously passed a vote to not renew 10 teacher contracts for performance reasons, reduce 14 teaching positions based on enrollment and cancel three contracts for licensing purposes.
At the March 17 board meeting, it was recommended by Superintendent Steve Edwards that a total of 34 teachers not be brought back for the 2010-2011 school year.
Since that meeting, MCS Teachers Association President John Clayborn said he was able to bring back four employees on the non-renewal list and Edwards said some teachers on the original Reduction In Force list were will also be able to remain teaching in the district.
"The first thing we did was recommend deeper reductions than we wanted to protect ourselves," Edwards said.
No official projected enrollment numbers for the 2010-2011 school year were available at time of press, but board President Mike Luce said he estimated a loss of at least 360-380 students for the 2009-2010 school year.
With a total of 27 teachers not returning for next school year for reasons based on enrollment, licensing or performance, it was made clear that none of the decisions were budget based.
"Quite frankly we’ve reduced teachers because of declining enrollment," Edwards said. "We could have lived financially without the cuts, but of course, this will positively impact us in the future."