Schools to reduce number of teachers

The economic downturn may affect classrooms next school year.

West Lafayette School Superintendent Rocky Killion said he issued preliminary Reduction in Force (RIF) letters for 12.5 positions last week. Frankfort Superintendent Kevin Caress said he could send out six to ten notices. Crawfordsville Superintendent Kathy Steele said she is looking at up to three. At Tri-County, Superintendent Dr. Gilbert Cummins said he could send up to two letters. Covington, Logansport and Rossville School Superintendents said they plan on just one RIF letter each.

While those school districts are issuing early notices, Tippecanoe School Superintendent Scott Hanback hasn't sent any letters, yet.

"RIFs are on the table. By statute we have until May 1 to actually issue those notices. We're still trying to hold out for more information on what the budget is going to look like coming out of the statehouse. We're not sure if that's going to be a one-year budget or a two-year budget. From our standpoint we would certainly like to see a two-year budget," said Hanback.

Ten other state school superintendents said they are not going to issue any RIF letters until they see how much money comes from the state budget and federal stimulus package.

Those schools are Clinton Central School Corp., Clinton Prairie School Corp., Delphi Community School Corp., Eastern Pulaski School Corp., Frontier School Corp., North Vermillion School Corp., North White School Corp., Pioneer Regional School Corp., Tippecanoe School Corp. and Twin Lakes School Corp.

Hanback and many other superintendents said that in the meantime they will try and make cuts elsewhere.

"We need to come up with about a million bucks in our General Fund. We're looking at any and all possible cost avoidance measures to allow us to get to that number," said Hanback.

Another way Hanback and other superintendents plan to avoid RIF letters is by not filling positions vacated by retiring teachers.

Even if a teacher receives a RIF letter now, they may have a job in the fall, but the schools are required to send teacher notices now.