Ill. school shows sign of budget cuts

FLORA, Ill. - Education cuts leave an Illinois school fed up and now they're showing the Wabash Valley just how frustrated they are.

If you look at a school in Flora, Illinois you wouldn't know the trouble this school faces.

However, you take one glace at their marque outside the junior high and you can see exactly what's troubling this school district.

The sign reads " The state of Illinois owes FCUSD #35 $387,078."

The school said they wanted the community to see the sign for three reasons. They wanted to show how much money they need, how much money the state owes them and how much money will affect your children.
Children will see changes in their classroom and in their athletics.

"I can't help but feel these kids are being held hostage by the state, I don't think that's fair," Flora Community Unit District Superintendent Dr. Gary May said. "I think our legislators need to roll up their sleeves and do their job for a change."

Instead it's left Superintendent Dr. Gary May to make the changes. He said from teachers to field trips cuts will have to be made.

Here's an example of what their dealing with this year. Part of the money missing is for the reading improvement grant. A program promised to parents, but it's now a program without funding.

"We have not received one penny in reimbursement in the reading improvement grant, nothing," Dr. Gary May said.

So far the state has done nothing to change the number seen on the sign, forcing the school to change the numbers inside the school in the coming days.

The Flora Community Unit District school board met Wednesday evening to discuss what they'll need to cut or what they need to keep.

A final decision is expected to be made Thursday night at their meeting at 5:30 P.M central time at the district building.

Of course News 10 will continue to follow this story and bring you the very latest.