The Knoxville School Board will meet in a special session tonight to discuss budget cuts. 

On the agenda is a continuation of budget discussions for the district as they look to reach their goal of $725,000 in budget reductions. At the last school board meeting, the board was presented a budget cut proposal, including a list of 13 different positions totaling just over $725,000. This was a list that the budget committee had worked on putting together since November. In a 3-2 split vote, the board ultimately voted against approving the entire list, but instead moved ahead with the reduction of eight different positions totaling $373,000. KCSD Business Manager Craig Mobley said it was not a surprise that the initial budget proposal was not approved in its entirety. 

“To me it’s not really a surprise. It’s kind of expected. You expect the board to not just take your proposal line for line and approve that. We will go back to the drawing board and come up with some other ideas and take those ideas to the board and see if we can get the cuts of $725,000 accomplished.”

There was also a suggestion at the last meeting by school board President Dave Smith to cut the Activities Director position and put those responsibilities on the assistant principal. The board will now look to cut approximately $352,000 to reach their goal. The new budget proposal to be introduced tonight includes the reduction of a special education position, attrition of a high school math teacher, reduction of a Panther Academy coordinator position, and reduction of director/administrator vacation pay. 

Tonight’s Knoxville School Board special session starts at 5:30 pm at the district office.