Zionsville school board votes to lay off 16 teachers and counselors

The Zionsville School Board voted Monday 4-1 to lay off 16 teachers and counselors.

The board also agreed to spend more than $900,000 in rainy day funds to make ends meet during next school year.

The board had been meeting with the Zionsville Educators’ Association to try to resolve a $1.75 million budget shortfall, but had failed to come to an agreement that would avoid teacher layoffs. Previously the board had decided not to replace retiring teachers, to freeze administrator and non-teaching salaries for the fourth year in a row and to put in place a participation fee for extra-curricular activities, which together cut a $3.5 million budget shortfall to just over $1.75 million.

Voters in November defeated a referendum that would have provided more funding for the school system. Property tax reform reduced funding to the school system by more than $1 million in 2010, and more than $2.1 million in 2011. The school says financial experts expect property tax caps will continue to reduce ZCS revenues to levels below funding for which it qualifies under Indiana law.

The school board instructed Superintendent Scott Robison to implement the layoffs in accodance with the district’s collective bargaining agreement with the teachers union.

From: Wish Tv