JACKSON Tenn (April 28, 2015) – A group of Jackson-Madison County School parents say there is strength in numbers when it comes to having a say in the future of public education.  On Monday night the JMCSS (Jackson Madison County School System) Strong group held their first organizational meeting. The members describe themselves as a parents and community members working together to advocate for a strong public school system.

Monday night’s order of business was the planned cuts of Teaching Assistants from the Bemis Montessori School.  Currently the proposed 2015/16 school system budget reduces the number of Teaching Assistants system wide by 18 and 14 of those cut come from the Montessori school.

Parents say this is unacceptable.  They are concerned that such a drastic action would lead to losing the Montessori school status all together.

Deanna McCrudden a spokesperson for the group said by bringing the matter before the school board the school was able to keep the assistants for the current school year but they have been informed that cuts are planned for the upcoming year.

Now McCrudden says it is time to dig deeper, investigate more and find other solutions.

JMCSS Strong wants the school board to reconsider its proposed 2015/16 school budget and find money for what they say is a compromise.  Instead of the 1 – 100 staffing formula for education assistants currently proposed the group suggests the 1-36 formula.  That would save a total of 80 jobs system wide and mean the Montessori School would lose only 8 instead of the 14 education assistants currently planned to be cut.

The measure would mean a reallocation of $2.38 million dollars of the approximate $98 million dollar budget.  Currently the system is budgeted to save $396 thousand dollars by reducing the positions by 18, the 1 – 36 staffing formula would cost approximately $1.98 million.

The group has asked to be on the agenda for the May 4 combined JMCSS work session / board meeting.  the meeting is at the JMCS Central Office, North Parkway.  The public is invited to attend.