What Does Another Round Of Proration Mean For My Child?

The recession is forcing more education cuts for local school systems.
Alabama Governor Bob Riley announced Tuesday the new state education budget that takes effect Thursday is being cut seven and a half percent.
But those cuts mean different things in Baldwin and Mobile Counties.
Baldwin County Public School Spokesperson Terry Wilhite said, "We're already bleeding. This takes it to just unimaginable levels."
As far as dealing with the cuts, Wilhite said, "Its too early to tell how the school board will tackle an additional $7.5 million in proration. Its just uncharted territory."
Wilhite said the Baldwin County School Board will have to decide whether to ask county or state officials for more money, or make more cuts.
But if more cuts are made, Wilhite said, "At this point, when you hear this devastating news, there's only thing you can do, and that's cut personnel."
As for the Mobile County Public School System, Spokesperson Nancy Pierce said, "We had thought between six and eight and a half percent proration would be coming, It was seven and a half, so its in the ballpark of what we were figuring."
So what does that mean?
Pierce said, "We are not cutting any employees. There will be no reduction in funds."
Is it a case of different challenges for different school systems?
When asked if the Baldwin School System and school board members could have done a better job of planning, Wilhite said, "We didn't get economic stimulus money to the degree that some systems did. We only received $23 million, which is a whopping sum, but our monthly payroll is $16 million, so, you can do the math and tell stimulus money didn't do the trick."
The new proration announcement came just two days before Baldwin School officials will cut more than 200 employees to make up for a $75 million shortfall they were already facing.