Major Cut For DeSoto Parish Schools

DeSoto Parish School Superintendent Cade Brumley presented a new spending reduction plan Thursday night. According to the plan, DeSoto Parish Schools will slice 6.4 million dollars from the budget by cutting nearly 40 jobs, restructuring departments and consolidating programs.

Officials say the budget shortfall can be blamed on decreased sales tax revenue and rising health insurance costs due to Obamacare. Brumley says the district will learn to live within its means and will avoid tax increases on the public.

Here are some of the things protected in Dr. Cade's plan:

• Does not increase class size
• Retains universal pre-kindergarten
• Retains art and music
• Keeps Band
• Saves JROTC
• Continues extra-curricular and co-curricular programs
• Continues school leadership teams
• Retains school resource officers
• Keeps all schools open
• Continues robust professional development model
• Maintains employee salary schedule above regional average
• Does not include tax increases for the public