Polk School District faces a loss of about $1.2 million in state funds next year.

The system started this year with a 2 percent cut or $800,000 to $900,000, and another 1 percent is anticipated.

“We are still waiting on final adjusted figures,” said Alan Melson, business manager. “It could be more.”

He said cuts are across the board and where these are made is a decision of the local school district.

“They tell us to apply the cuts where we think we can balance the budget,” Melson added.

Superintendent Marvin Williams said he has been “working diligently” to map a plan with options as to how the local system can absorb the proposed loss of funds.

State funds provide money for personnel, and Williams said this is the last place officials want to cut.

“Hopefully, attrition will take care of some of the cuts,” he explained. “We are also looking at some of the small things we can delete from the budget.”

Williams has put a number of ideas on the table for the school board to consider. These include:

Not purchasing adopted textbooks.

Obtaining data for bench mark testing by using the free Online Assessment System (OAS) provided by the State.

Closing Central Office for a week.

Reviewing contracts to get a lower price.

Furlough days for 12-month employees.

Maintain buses so that new ones won’t have to be purchased.

Increase class size.

Williams said state officials has noted that class size requirements may be increased in some grade levels by one or two students.

“The last button the board wants to push is to increase class sizes,” Melson said.

Hopes are that money from the homeowner tax relief grant (H.B. 143), signed by Governor Sonny Perdue, will bring more dollars into the general fund. In 2008, these funds totaled more than $1 million.

“With this money, some of the personnel issues may not be realized,” Melson explained. “Until we get all the information, we won’t know what the final decision will be about cutting personnel.”