BIXBY, Okla. – Around $1.7 million was cut from the Bixby Public Schools budget for the upcoming year.
According to the Bixby Public Schools, during the Board of Education meeting held Monday evening, the group decided what would be eliminated from the 2016-2017 budget.
The school’s main priority was to protect classroom instruction as well as teacher to student ratios. No classroom teacher positions were cut during Monday’s meeting, according to the Bixby Public Schools.
Bixby Public Schools did confirm that certified employees in ancillary roles were moved into open teaching positions. In addition to those changes, other cuts included three administrative positions, eliminating select stipends, reducing school site annual budgets and transportation budgets, reducing custodial contracts and the elimination of 23 support staff positions.
Also, Union Public Schools voted last night on $5.2 million in cuts that will affect staff positions and bus routes. According to the district, 48 positions will be cut, 25 of those are teachers, 19 are support staff and four are administrators.
Due to fewer teachers, class sizes might increase. It is also looking at having fewer bus routes.
At the Broken Arrow Public Schools board of education meeting, more than $7 million in cuts were approved. It is eliminating bus routes for students living 1.5 miles away from school. Classroom sizes might also increase due to fewer teachers due to hiring freezes.
