Lincoln Consolidated Schools will resolve its budget deficit in part by cutting about 50 teaching jobs, says Superintendent Ellen Bonter. About ten teachers have accepted buyout offers, and another 24 have been laid off by the Ypsilanti-area school district.
"We’re hoping that number could increase, hoping that we could return some of our laid off teachers to full employment," Bonter says.
A reduction of $4.7 to $5 million will come from the teacher's unit alone, with another million to 1.5 million from other areas of the budget.
The teacher's union and the district administration worked together on the plan, which Bonter says will minimally affect students. Class sizes will increase by only two students, and all academic and extracurricular programs will be maintained.
