The AJC reports this morning that in the process of “theoretically” balancing their coming year budget, the DeKalb School Board took the idea of closing Fernbank Science Center off the table. Two petitions to save the Center made the rounds over the past week after residents received word that DeKalb School’s budget committee had proposed closing a $73 million budget deficit.

To see what the Board ultimately decided to do to help bridge the divide, click over to the AJC article.

Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor

Here we go again.  From the AJC…

On Monday night, the [DeKalb] school board unveiled a comprehensive redistricting proposal that calls for 12 elementary schools to close: Livsey, Medlock, Rock Chapel, Bob Mathis, Atherton, Glen Haven, Gresham Park, Sky Haven, Toney, Peachcrest, Wadsworth and Kittredge. The proposal also calls for Avondale Middle and Avondale High to be closed and used to house magnet programs.

You may recall that a “citizen’s task force” was formed last year to close schools for financial reasons and that the decision was punted by the School Board, amidst accusations of racism and near fights in board meetings.  Ain’t democracy great?  This year, cash-strapped DeKalb has paid consultants MGT of America $400,000 to arrive at the same conclusion: many South DeKalb schools would have to close due to under-enrollment.

Oh boy.

How do you deal with a budget decifit without raising the millage rate on property owners?  Cut.  And then cut some more.

From this morning’s AJC…

The [DeKalb School Board budget] committee’s budget includes laying off 200 paraprofessionals, 150 central office employees, 59 media clerks and 18 technology specialists.

In addition to layoffs, the budget committee voted to cut another 61 paraprofessionals, 10 assistant principals and 10 counselors through attrition.

…The committee also voted to furlough teachers seven days, which is about a 3.9 percent pay cut. Administrators, secretaries and other employees will face 10 to 15 furlough days.

The committee also voted to raise class sizes by two students and cut the board’s contribution to employees’ tax-sheltered annuity.

Even with all these cuts, some think that it still won’t be enough to close the budget gap.  In that case, a small tax increase might be on the horizon.