Senate hurts schools with actions

By Staff
With the school year ending on Friday for county schools, and only one week to go in the Russellville system, administrators are still not certain what the future holds.
The state Senate adjourned the 2008 legislative session Monday without passing next fiscal year's education budget. Lawmakers could not reach an agreement Monday on the budget which stalled over disputes on the amount of money going to higher education.
Without knowing what the budget will be like for the next school year, school officials will have to make cuts to non-tenured teachers.
What makes the situation even more difficult is that pink slips have to be given before the last day of school, which is Friday for county schools.
The Senate has potentially crippled schools who were going to be facing a tighter than hoped budget anyway.
Our local schools have done a tremendous job in other years when facing tight money problems. But they need to at least know what money they will have.