Staff Reductions, Cost Cutting Measures Coming for Charles City School District

Faced with a budget shortfall of over $600,000 in state funding for the 2023-24 school year due to a decline in enrollment, staff reductions will be made in the Charles City School District.

About 75 people were in attendance at the Youth Enrichment Center on the Floyd County Fairgrounds Monday night as the School Board met to consider possible scenarios to save the district about $750,000 in total expenses.

Board member Dr. David Schrodt motioned to approve Proposal B, which includes the elimination of seven staff positions including a Project Rise coordinator, a business teacher and one music teacher.

Schrodt’s motion also included an amendment to remove the elimination of the High School Assistant Principal position  from the proposal, while keeping the door open to adding a building administrator if needed after teacher salary, early retirement and state legislation for schools are settled.

The vote to approve the proposal was 3-2 with Board members Josh Mack and Janiece Bergland voting NO and Kathryn Fox, Schrodt and Board Chair Pat Rottinghaus voting YES, which she said was not an easy decision.

The reduction plan also includes over $150,000 in cuts in the operations department and in central services. The general consensus of the Board was that raising property taxes to help offset costs was not an option they wanted to consider.