The Springfield School Board continues to face a backlash against proposed cuts, with the latest objections coming from teachers, parents and students at the city's middle schools.
The initial proposal from Superintendent Walter Milton called for reductions in staffing levels and security at the middle schools. More recently, a Citizens Budget Review Committee has called for closing the Iles Middle School for gifted students, and moving that population to the gifted program at Franklin.
The board heard from an overflow crowd of people who say the cuts will be damaging to student progress, and will drive families from District 186, erasing any estimated cost savings. The school board is hoping to adopt millions of dollars in cuts for the next school year, but board members now say they may need to extend their self-imposed deadline of early February to finalize the cuts.
