The Nevada Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees has tentatively approved a plan to deal with budget deficits should special taxes for schools not pass in November. The trustees have outlined $1.5 million in cuts for the 2012-13 budget year. The estimated loss of revenue over the current year is $1.3 million, which equates to $425 per student with the chance that an additional reduction of $75 per student may be imposed as well.

Superintendent Marianne Cartan says in a memo to KNCO the current reduction for classified staff is 5 full time equivalent positions. We are currently in negotiations with the teachers’ union and will begin our meetings with the classified bargaining unit soon.These are very difficult times for districts and our schools, as we are forced to make undesirable cuts that affect our students, our staff, and our operations. It is most important that people are informed of the hardship that the state government has imposed on public educational institutions in California. State funding has been extremely erratic during the past four years. The District must plan on receiving what the Legislature has proposed at this time. We are hopeful that the taxes will pass and provide some relief for schools so that we can preserve our excellent programs and instruction for our county’s youth.