Coweta County School Board Tuesday night unanimously adopted a $172 million general fund budget for the 2009-2010 school year.

Effective July 1, next year’s general fund budget represents a $15 million decrease from the $187 million amended general fund budget for 2008-2009. The vote came with little discussion.

The budget includes a reduction of approximately 37 positions that include 15 part-time teaching assistants, 15 school-based Information Technology positions and 1 or 2 full-time teaching assistants, said school system spokesperson Dean Jackson. Some of the employees will be offered other positions in the school system as those positions become available through attrition, Jackson said.

Prior to the vote, board member Harry Mullins commented on the state of the economy and asked how much money in the budget came from federal stimulus funds. The board was told by Superintendent Blake Bass that the figure totaled $8.7 million for various purposes, in forms such as Title 1 (low income) and IDEA (special education) programs. In terms of the employees affiliated with those programs, Bass said the money equated to 57 jobs.

“That’s our fear, if the money’s not there next year,” Mullins said, referencing potential cuts that could be needed.

Bass said the school system is gearing up for the next round of anticipated budget cuts.

“I think we’ll see June and July tax collections down even more. If we see the same budget cuts we’ll have to cut even further,” he said.

The Coweta School System serves 23,475 students in 32 schools and programs.

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