CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Board of Education unanimously approved eliminating a net total of 50 positions from the school system next year, but that does not mean 50 employees will be out of work.
The board on Thursday approved two motions; one motion terminated the contracts of nine people, including one individual working on a contract related to the June 2016 flood, and the second motion allowed the transfer of multiple employees following the end of their current employment.
“Those people are on transfer, and Kanawha County Schools owes them a position,” said Carol Hamric, the school system’s executive director of human resources. “They will have a job this upcoming school year not in that location, but another location.”
The change is connected to the proposed budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year; the school system is receiving $4.2 million less from the state after enrollment fell by 563 students last year.
Hamric added no additional training would be needed for individuals being transferred; staff would be selected for similar positions at other institutions in the county. She also noted eight service personnel whose contracts were terminated could rejoin the school system if additional retirements and resignations occur before the start of the next school year.
The proposed budget for the next fiscal year is $256.4 million, a $24.2 million increase from the current fiscal year. The proposal factored $20.9 million in increased spending because of the excess levy voters approved in November.
Briana Warner, communications director for Kanawha County Schools, said the position cuts are directly tied to state financial aid.
“That is completely disconnected to the excess levy vote,” she said.
The excess levy will fund different projects, including HVAC and roofing work, as well as additional custodians, art teachers and counselors.
A vote on the proposed budget is scheduled for May 21.