GALESBURG, Illinois - Galesburg School District is facing a deficit of $1.9 million dollars for the 2017 school year.
"We've made a lot of progress, on the deficit from last year we`ve slowed down the flow of red ink we certainly have not eliminated it," said Ralph Grimm, Superintendent.
The tentative budget is getting the board worried about what to cut next.
"Do you want us to consider additional borrowing options, we have limited options on the borrowing side," said Grimm.
With very little to borrow and classroom sizes for this school year almost to capacity administrators have a lot to think about.
"Knowing that personal and salaries is 70 to 75 percent of what we have to have in the budget, still knowing that, I don`t see how we can say to our staff, okay were gonna cut you more," said Jean Ann Glasnovich, board of education.
The district cut almost 50 full and part time jobs in 2016, 17 of those were teachers.
Some board members said the next thing they need to look at, consolidating buildings.
"How do we better use the buildings we got and are there some buildings that they`re just too big a drain on our resources," said Wayne Statham, board of education.
But that could also come at a cost to the students possibly having to move buildings.
"I know that`s gonna be as painful as this last year was but it`s the next step we have to take," said Statham.
The board will know the final budget in September, 2016 and that's when they will have to come up with a plan.