Canton City School District’s board approved a reduction plan Monday night that calls for $17.7 million in cuts over the next two years, including dozens of positions.
The district is required to submit the budget reduction plan to the state due to its most recent financial forecast showing it running out of money in two years. Canton Superintendent Jeff Talbert has previously said the district has had to hasten plans to close buildings, combine classes and cut staff due to the loss of millions of dollars in federal and state funding, totaling almost $8 million alone in the current school year. He expressed frustration in an early January interview with Ideastream Public Media about lawmakers’ priorities.
“I just need someone in Columbus to say, ‘hey, yeah, we cut their money, that’s why they’re dealing with this,’ and own it. Like, ‘we cut money and they don’t need it.’ Because right now we’re taking the hit. And it’s not a hit we should take. And if it was our fault, then I’d own that too.”…