A West Virginia county has planned to combine seven primary schools into four next year to avoid deficit spending.
The Intelligencer reports the Brooke County Board of Education unanimously approved the consolidation on Monday.
Board treasurer Kimberly Puskarich told board President Brian Ferguson the school district would go into deficit spending by the end of the current fiscal year if it continued to operate the seven schools. Puskarich estimated the closings will save the district around $1 million by eliminating nearly 80 professional and service personnel not funded by the state.
In fall 2018, kindergarten through second grade students are set to attend schools to be renamed Brooke County Primary North and South, while third and fourth graders will go to ones renamed Brooke County Intermediate North and South.