Officials with the Kannapolis City school system say they are putting together a “sustainable” budget.
Will Crabtree, director of business operations, told the Board of Education this afternoon that although the  budget gap will widen next year steps being taken this year will help cushion the blow.
“We want to be responsible and provide for the needs of the school system, but we also want to be able to sustain next year,” he said.
Crabtree said after this year the school system will be facing a $1 million deficit with the loss of the federal Education Jobs funding.
The district will have to make more than $1.5 million in state discretionary cuts this year, a figure Crabtree said will grow.
Crabtree said the district will shuffle funding to find the best way to stretch each dollar.
Fewer local funds will be used this year in order to preserve dollars for the deficit. Four teachers will be paid using local dollars. Crabtree said typically that number is between 12 to 14.
The district is also looking at streamlining operations by hiring 24 teacher assistants, 12 who will serve as bus drivers and 12 who will be substitute bus drivers.
“This made the most sense to us and it was cost effective,” Crabtree said.
Crabtree said half of the teacher assistants pay can come from the transportation budget.
“When you split the cost between the two of them it’s very fiscally feasible.”
Find out more about the school system’s budget plan in Thursday’s Post.