LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS FEEL ECONOMIC CRUNCH

Facing a serious budget shortfall, the Las Cruces Public School District will be reassigning administrators as part of the district's downsizing which continues into its second year.

Due to advance planning by the District before the national financial crisis and the shortfall of the State's budget the district will not be as adversly affected as other in the State. LCPS Superintendent Stan Rounds stated that all non-temporary employees will remain employed "though this will not happen everywhere in the State.

Terry Dean, Assistant Finance Director stated that the District will have a balanced budget. He said "We are in a whole lot better position than most school districts throughout the state, but ... if the economy and state funding don't turn around next year, it's going to be even more challenging."

The district was paying $12.8 million too much on personnel three years ago and has reduced that amount to less than $10 million, Rounds said.

Purpose of cuts according to the reports is to bring the District's personnel spending to about 90% in line with the state average which is between 88% to 89%. The expected operational budget is projected at $166 million. The District plans to eliminate about 70 positions at the end of this school year.