Multiple school closings were proposed to the Lawrence school district’s Boundary Advisory Committee Wednesday in an attempt to lessen an impending budget crisis.
The Lawrence school board — including two new members — on Monday will hear an update from the superintendent about COVID-19, consider recommendations for contingency funds in the district’s budget and more.
Supporters of Firelions gymnastics at the Lawrence school district’s two high schools have ramped up efforts to keep the program afloat with the launch of an online petition. They’re also vowing to make “a large presence” at the school board meeting Monday.
Many questions and few answers came out of the Lawrence school board’s review of potential cost-savings ideas Monday during a special meeting to discuss the district’s budget deficit.
Inside 300 pages of cost-trimming ideas for the Lawrence school board’s consideration are proposals to combine low-enrollment classes at high schools, restructure middle schools and more.
Budget cuts were the central focus of district staff as well as the public commenters who called for reductions of administrators’ six-digit salaries at Monday’s Lawrence school board meeting.
The district is facing ongoing challenges from rising costs, inflation and reductions in school funding due to an enrollment loss of almost 700 students last school year.