Collinsville, Ill., schools may face teacher layoffs

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. -- There may be teacher layoffs soon in the Collinsville Public Schools.

Superintendent Dennis Craft said the Unit 10 School District may have to lay off as many as 15 teachers and one administrator, plus some support staff, to balance the budget next year.

Craft said the district is looking for ways to cut $1.8 million from next year's budget, as a combination of lower state aid, falling property taxes and an influx of new students has hit the district's finances.

Bill Jokerst, board member and chairman of the Finance Committee, said the foreclosures and dropping real estate values, combined with adding hundreds of children from Fairmont City, are causing the shortfall.