LCPS bracing for budget cuts; teachers would be let go

The Las Cruces Public School District is bracing for the possibility of more budget cuts.

Superintendent Dr. Gregory Ewing says as many as 175 positions, including teachers, could be cut if the legislature forces the district to slash an additional $8-9 million from is operating fund for next school year.

“The cuts will be enormous,” Dr. Ewing said. “They will be felt in every school and every classroom.”

Dr. Ewing says the jobs of newer administrators and teachers are on the line.

“Basically it’s the last people we hired are the first people we look at to lay off first,” Dr. Ewing said.

Teachers, like Terri Stockberger at Valley View Elementary School, say that’s scary.

“I’ve been in the district long enough that I don’t think it’ll affect me personally but to see my colleagues threatened it makes it hard,” Stockberger said.

Cuts to staff could mean bigger class sizes. Dr. Ewing said athletics and after school programs being cut is also a possibility, something Stockberger says is critical.

“We see more and more students who aren’t involved in those things getting in trouble and we hate to see that,” she said.

Since November the district has already cut $190,000 from supplies and $500,000 from its transportation fund. It also cut $2.5 million from its general fund and $3.5 million from its reserve fund.

The legislative session ends March 18. Dr. Ewing says LCPS will be monitoring what happens closely.