STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — The Martin County School District is starting the new school year with a significant budget reduction, cutting more than $6 million from its operating budget. Superintendent Michael Maine emphasized that these cuts were made at the district level to ensure that schools and classrooms remain unaffected.
Maine explained that the district aims to be better stewards of taxpayer money while aligning with projected state funding, which is based on student enrollment. The district receives approximately $9,500 per student, and with a decline of about 1,000 students, adjustments were necessary.
“The best path forward was to reorganize starting at the top,” said Maine. The district office has eliminated upper-level positions and executive team members, while each department has reduced operating budgets by 30 percent and reviewed vendor contracts…