By Brittany Whitley

Published: May 7, 2008

Despite rumors of a large-scale layoff of teachers in the Lee County School System, Lee County School superintendent Dr. Stephen Nowlin said the fact is that 12 to 15 teachers are expected to lose their positions.

“We anticipate somewhere around 12, maybe 15, that will lose their jobs,” Nowlin said.

The teachers who lose their jobs could be rehired by the beginning of next school year, he said.

Although there will be a decrease in teachers, classroom size will still meet guidelines.

“(We will) follow the SACS standards and make sure we don’t have any oversized classrooms,” he said.

Rumors of the layoffs stem from the state budget crisis situation. Nowlin said the county pays the salary of approximately 100 teachers.

A teacher’s salary plus fringe benefits adds up to about $60,000 a year per teacher, Nowlin said.

Employees constitute 85 percent of costs to a school system, Nowlin said.

“It’s very expensive to us as salaries keep going up,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize how expensive it is to run a school system today.”

Nowlin said the state department will probably cut the school system’s budget by $2 million this year.

That compounded with a $27 million loan with a debt service of $1.5 million a year and the annual operating expenses of the new Smiths Station High School, which could range from $500,000 to $1 million each year, are the reasons for the layoffs.

These are three large financial obstacles, Nowlin said.

Another reason for the lack of funds is a property tax increase that did not pass last fall.

The layoffs are in-part the result of that proposal not passing, Nowlin added.

In addition to the 12 to 15 layoffs, some positions being vacated by teachers retirements will not be re-filled.

This way not as many people will lose their jobs, Nowlin said.

Nowlin said some of the positions and programs that may be cut are just not needed any more.

Although no word as to who will not be returning next year, the principals at the various schools are involved in the decisions, Nowlin said.

The personnel cuts will save the school system about $2.5 million, Nowlin said.