RINGGOLD, Ga. — With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Sonny Perdue restored full-time nurses and paraprofessional educators to Catoosa County Schools, schools director Denia Reese said Tuesday.
She said the governor signed the amended midyear budget, which had some additional money for schools.
“It allows us to keep nurses in our schools. It's a huge relief because we have so many students that have chronic health problems such as diabetes and asthma,” Mrs. Reese said.
“This allows our teachers who are not trained for this to keep their focus on the classroom. It's a huge relief for parents, too,” she said.
But she said balancing the 2008-2009 budget could still mean cutting 35 teaching positions and 15 paraprofessionals, who are certified classroom aides.
“We won't be able to add back positions until we see what the austerity cuts will be,” she said.
The cost of restoring the nurses and paraprofessionals is about $900,000, Catoosa County officials said. The district’s estimated 2008-09 state and local funding is about $83 million, officials said.
Some people have expressed concern about funding for the new Heritage High School, scheduled to open in August. But Catoosa County school board member David Moeller said the school is needed.
“That’s an honest concern,” Mr. Moeller said. “But it had to happen. Growth in Catoosa County dictated it. But if we work with our legislators and the governor I think we will all come out on top of this.”
Mrs. Reese said funding for the new Heritage High School is in place and the school is fully staffed.
The midyear budget amendment dipped into reserves to restore $20 million that will be used to equalize per-student funding in 16 metro Atlanta school districts.
The fiscal year 2009 budget, which was approved by the House last week, would restore $90 million of the $141 million Gov. Perdue wants to cut from the Quality Basic Education formula that funds public schools. The Senate now has the budget.
The legislature rejected Gov. Perdue’s recommended $65 million cut in the amended budget, citing a $1.6 billion reserve fund.
Mrs. Reese said she does not know if any teaching positions will be restored.
“We will have to wait and see what happens,” she said.
Spokeswoman Marissa Chambers said the decision to announce the teacher cuts was made to give employees an opportunity to plan.
“We had until April 15 to issue (teacher) contracts,” Ms. Chambers said. “But we wanted to give people time to find a job. We didn’t want them to miss that time table that is so important.”
Many school districts begin teacher recruitment around this time of year, Ms. Chambers said.
