Laramie County School District #1 Superintendent John Lyttle says it looks like the district is facing about $5.2 million in cuts on July 1.

That is the number district officials have arrived at when calculating the local impact of budget cuts made by the legislature in the last two legislative sessions. Of that total, $4.5 million is the result of cuts made in the 2017 session and $850,000 are from 2016.

He says in looking at the district budget, about 85 percent is tied up in personal costs. Of the remaining 15 percent, Lyttle says some cuts can be made in the costs of supplies. But he says textbooks, for example, are not cheap and are a necessary expense.

He says that while many people assume "going electronic" by using computerized textbooks will save money, the fact is that those versions are still just as expensive as old-fashioned printed books.

The superintendent says the district will look to save money by not filling the positions of retiring employees. He says LCSD#1 will also be looking at somewhat larger class sizes, although he adds "they won't be too far out of line."

Lyttle says for the upcoming school year he is optimistic the district can "keep the impact of the cuts away from the classroom."

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