Nonprofit Mississippi News CLEVELAND — The Cleveland School District anticipates a half-million dollar shortfall as a result of declining enrollment. They are considering layoffs for administrative staff. In its first year of federal desegregation, the district lost 100 students. “We will have to look really hard because personnel is where we spend the most of our money. In a meeting with school board members on Friday, Cindy Holtz, Cindy Holtz’s business manager, stated that they will have to work together to give the situation a thorough look. Holtz stated that the Mississippi Department of Education provides $5,200 per student to the school district. For the academic year 2018-2019, there will be a $500,000 deficit due to falling enrollment. About three percent of district’s student population is affected by the 100 student drop. A $15,559673 allocation from MDE fiscal year 2018, $500,000 would be approximately three percent of the current district budget. “We will take that into account before issuing contracts next year. Richard Boggs, a board member, said that we will have to reduce our force. Superintendent Jackie Thigpen responded, “Probably.” The beginning of a new period in the history of the school district and Cleveland was marked by the merger of the East Side High School, which was predominantly African-American, with Cleveland High School (which was 60% African-American and 40% white) to create the new Cleveland Central High School. The two middle schools at the other end of town were also combined to create Cleveland Central Middle School. The litigation began in 1955 with a desegregation suit against the Bolivar County Board of Education. It lasted for 62 years until a federal judge approved the consolidation. The Cleveland School District initially opposed the decision but later dropped all appeals. We kept all teachers on because of the circumstances we were in and they were under. We’re going to have to reduce our staff now that we have a decrease in funds. Boggs stated that this is the only area you can cut. Boggs stated that classrooms are the last place to experience personnel cuts. The enrollment at Cleveland School District is on the decline. Analyzing the enrollment numbers showed that Cleveland School District had more students of color than African-American students. Additionally, more than half the students who left Cleveland School District before the current school year were sent to private schools. Not only has Cleveland seen enrollment drop, but so is other school districts. North Bolivar Consolidated Schools District announced in January that it would close two schools. It cited a drop of 345 students from 2014 as the reason. “I hope that we have some tools in place to evaluate student retention and to see what we are doing to keep them. Todd Fuller, a board member, said that half a million dollars (dollars lost) is a good starting point.