Columbus Schools To Cut $22 Million With Attrition, No Layoffs

Columbus City Schools plans to cut about 200 positions under nearly $23 million in planned budget cuts. The Columbus Board of Education approved the plan Tuesday night, which includes no initial plans for layoffs. 93 percent of the cuts will come from salaries and benefits of some of the nearly 6,700 full-time equivalent positions in the district. Robyn Essman, the district's budget director, says the district thinks it's possible to reduce the staff through employees retiring or leaving jobs - but it can't rule out the possibility of some layoffs next school year. About 40 percent of the total savings will come from eliminating positions at five schools the district will close at the end of this school year.