Ron Hamilton, Shelbyville News Staff Writer


After weeks of intense budget meetings and numbers crunching, officials with Shelbyville Central Schools on Monday night proposed over a million dollars in immediate and permanent budget cuts from this year’s general fund. Superintendent David Adams made the recommendations at Monday night’s school board meeting, but board action will not be taken until the next meeting in March, officials said.

 “It could mean losing five certified teachers, unless some veteran teachers decide to take early retirements,” Adams said. “We plan to cut $538,766 from certified personnel and another $474,036 from non-certifieds, for a total cut in the general fund of about $1,012,802.”

Dec. 31 officials with the Indiana Department of Education demanded budget cuts from all public school districts, and Shelbyville’s share amounted to about $1.08 million out of its $24.2 million general fund. Almost immediately, school officials transferred $1 million of the corporation’s nearly $2 million rainy day money to the general fund to make up for the budget shortfall.

“I’ve met with administrators, board members and representatives of the Shelby County Teachers Association several times,” Adams said. “Administrators saved us $103,596 by taking a nearly 8 percent pay cut. The Title 1 director’s position has been cut, and that person, Betsy Larrabee, has accepted a classroom teaching position.”

Adams said the school corporation is planning to cut another nearly $300,000 by eliminating five full-time teaching positions. Plans call for cutting one elementary school teacher and not replacing another teacher who is retiring in May. He added that the corporation also is cutting one high school or middle school guidance counselor, a high school social studies teacher, business teacher and dean.