OKLAHOMA CITY -
Time is running
out in Washington for a deal to halt automatic spending cuts. The cuts will go into effect on Friday at midnight, and could have a
big impact on the state of Oklahoma, with some of the cuts affecting schools.
If lawmakers fail
to reach a deal, it could mean dramatic cuts to early learning programs, and
cost some teachers their jobs.
Education for
children with disabilities and head start programs are expected to be among the
hardest hit, and Oklahoma's largest school district is already preparing for
the worst.
School districts
are looking at painful budget cuts. The sequester
would mean major cuts to federally-funded head start. That's the program
that provides education, health and other services to low income children.
"Especially in an
urban school district, our kids need to get off to a good start in education,
and head start has been a wonderful program for that," OKCPS Superintendent
Karl Springer said.
Springer knows the benefits of head start. Oklahoma City
Public Schools has 16 head start classrooms. But those aren't
his only concern. Cuts are also
looming for special education, and 5,500 students receive special
education services in his district.
Taking a look at
the numbers, Oklahoma City Public Schools' Title 1 program is about $21
million. The district gets
about $6 million in federal funds for special education. Now they're
looking at a shortfall of over $2 million next year.
"In this school
district, we'd never make an across-the-board cut. We'd look at the things we
spend our money on and cut those things that have the least effect on people,
and I would hope the U.S. government would have the same idea," Springer said.
The district says
it would have to look at using state money to try to cover the cost of the head start positions, if federal funding is cut. Oklahoma County has the most head start classrooms in the state,
employing more than 250 teachers.
The cuts would go into effect July 1, 2013.
If lawmakers fail to reach a deal, it could mean dramatic cuts to early learning programs, and cost some teachers their jobs.
