The Greene County School Board approved two requests for spending authority for two educational areas.

Superintendent Brett Abbotts tells Raccoon Valley Radio the Board approved in September a School Budget Review Committee request to fund a $448,421 special education deficit. He says this is required from the state to serve students within their attendance area that are needing special education services. He points out three years ago, the deficit was nearing $750,000 but now that total is under a half a million.

“While that number can and will fluctuate it’s a number that we are glad is declining while we’re still providing equitable services to our students receiving special education (services).”

Abbotts notes the other SBRC request the School Board approved was for Excess Limited English Proficiency for $10,969.

“That’s just simply the state funding not keeping up with what we need to serve our students with limited English, also known as either ESL (English as a Second Language) or students classified as ELL (English Language Learners).”

Abbotts adds the less than $11,000 spending authority request for Excess Limited English Proficiency is about the same as the previous year.