| Sharla Bardin

sharla.bardin@roanoke.com, 381-1669

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Officials with Montgomery County Public Schools may have to consider reducing staff positions and the budgets for field trips, equipment and supplies to help offset a projected $5.5 million shortfall.

"It is a serious situation," Montgomery County's interim Superintendent Walt Shannon said Tuesday. "It is an opportunity for us to make some changes and become more efficient."

The school board discussed the budget outlook for next year and heard presentations from some employee groups during Tuesday's work session. No official action was taken.

The board will again discuss the school operating budget for 2010-11 on Tuesday and also Feb. 2.

The estimated $5.5 million shortfall includes state budget cuts, a decrease in county revenue and an increase in expenses -- including an increase in the contribution rate for the Virginia Retirement System.

Some of the options that the school board may consider are reducing the schools' budgets for travel, equipment, supplies, field trips, textbooks and professional development for employees.

A reduction in staffing positions also is an option. Shannon said the idea would be to reduce the positions through attrition and staff turnover and to try to avoid layoffs.

Still, that possible reduction does worry some employees.

The current operating budget is $96.4 million. The school system now has about 2,000 employees and 9,600 students.

Shannon said no new staff positions will be added in the next budget year. Shannon said almost 87 percent of the school system's budget is for personnel and benefits.

Some school employees representing principals, teachers, custodians and bus drivers spoke to the board about the budget situation.

Some said they understand the board will have to make tough decisions but asked whether members could work to maintain current salaries and look for ways to make the budget cuts temporary.

Some employees also suggested that if staff reductions are required, the goal should be to minimize the effects of the reductions on instructional programs.

School officials said they are still working with budget estimates and are not sure what will happen in the General Assembly's upcoming session. Also it's not clear what incoming Gov. Bob McDonnell will do about the state's finances after he takes office Saturday.

Some of the employees who spoke Tuesday also offered some ideas on how the district might save money, such as turning off lights that are not necessary or computers that are not in use to conserve energy, lowering the temperature a few degrees in rooms or increasing the charge for use of school facilities.

Board member Joe Ivers said any small savings the school system could do would help.

"It really is dire," Ivers said about the budget situation.