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RPS passes budget, closes $11.6 million gap

Posted at 11:31 PM, Feb 27, 2013
and last updated 2013-02-27 23:46:51-05

RICHMOND, Va (WTVR)-- Richmond School Board passed a balanced budget Wednesday night, closing the school system’s $11.6 million budget gap.

“We are done and I'm feeling good about the progress we have made,” says School Board member, Shonda Harris- Muhammed.

For the last two months, board members have spent weekends and late nights working for one purpose,” leaving the classroom harmless,” says Chair, Jeff Bourne.

He tells CBS 6’s Lorenzo Hall, they’ve managed to do so by eliminating dozens of employees and services at the school system’s central office, reducing health insurance, ending a contract with a company overseeing one of RPS’ alternative schools and agreeing to shut down two schools by the end of this school year.

There were very few specifics provided at Wednesday night’s meeting, but, school leaders say they plan to work with city leaders to come up with a plan to implement the proposed changes.

Click on the video for the Lorenzo Hall's full report.