City schools filling positions after budget adopted

By Staff
Kim West
The Russellville City Schools have started the re-hiring process of several teaching and staff positions after a special session of the Alabama Legislature approved the state education budget May 31.
The 2008-09 budget will include $6.36 billion for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, compared to $6.73 billion last year. The Legislature was called into special session after failing to pass an education budget for the upcoming school year during its May 19 regular session, which caused school systems statewide to lay off teachers.
The Russellville city school system voted not to renew five contracts and also left 11 staff positions vacant last month but began filling positions at the June 16 board meeting.
"We're probably going to re-employ or fill most of those positions, but there are three or four we will not fill," said Dr. Wayne Ray, superintendent of Russellville City Schools. "At the last board meeting, we filled the library media position, counselor and English position at the middle school. We also have a library media position available at (Russellville Elementary), and we might fill a position at the high school because we anticipate a retirement."
Ray said the state prevented the full effect of proration this year by drawing from reserve accounts.
"I'm just glad they went ahead and called the Legislature back into a special session to pass the budget instead of waiting until September or October," said Ray. "All in all we came out well but no one's happy when we're in proration. The difference this time is the state had almost $100 million in rainy day accounts to cover proration.
"The really critical thing is next year's budget looks even worse – if we run out of funds, the local school boards will have to come up with the difference. Let's hope the economy kicks in soon."