“Traxson said he has planned ahead because they saw this budget cut coming, even though the governor said in his campaign, it was important to keep money in the classrooms.

“So Peabody cut three positions last year, in an already small staff.

“‘It’s not just about the classroom, it’s about maintaining. And then, on top of that, we haven’t given our teachers a raise here in probably about six years,’ said Traxon.

“So teachers go without raises, but Traxson said he’s lucky to have very dedicated staff who really care about the kids in this small town.

“Some teachers are even helping out with custodial duties because of budget cuts the last few years.

“‘Staff is the first thing. That’s the casualty. That’s where your expenses are. But you can only do that for so long without it impacting your curriculum and your effectiveness as a school, but it does start with your staff.'”

http://ksn.com/2015/02/06/small-schools-feel-pressure-of-govs-education-cuts/