MUNCIE – Muncie Community Schools is close to having a balanced budget, thanks in part to cutting staff this summer.
At this point the district is planning to have 21 fewer teachers, 28 fewer aids or assistants and one less nurse in the fall. They are also looking at restructuring the administration.
In the estimate Chief Financial Officer Mark Burkhart presented to the board Tuesday night he figured two administrative positions would be cut. It has not been decided yet which positions, if any, those would be, said spokesperson Ana Pichardo.
The district avoided layoffs and instead will decide which positions not to fill following resignations and retirements.
Altogether, Burkhart figured this will save about $650,919 for the rest of 2015 and about $2,077,000 in 2016.
This past year the district has been trying to cut its costs by about $3 million. A large chunk of that — about $2 million — was covered when the city helped sell the former Wilson Middle School building.
Now Burkhart said they only have about $500,000 to cut before Dec. 31.
"You should be in a good position to turn this around," he said at Tuesday's board meeting.