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KEOSAUQUA, IOWA -- On Monday, KTVO visited the Van Buren School District in Keosauqua and spoke with Dr. Karen Stinson, the Superintendent of Schools. She says that one costly area in the budget is transportation throughout the district.

"We have a $14 million budget and next year $920,000 or basically seven percent of our budget is just transportation," Dr. Stinson said. "So that makes a big difference in rural districts because for our district to be that size, and have that much transportation cost, means that is how much money we're not able to spend on curriculum and all those other things that you would have out of a general fund."

Stinson also added that Van Buren Schools, like all districts, has had to make financial adjustments due to the 10 percent across-the-board spending cuts from the state.

"It's been a really tough year and it's tough because we are a small community, we are a small school district. So the cuts are personal. We did have to make some cuts. We had to RIF some staff and RIF some of our para-professionals and it's very difficult because they are our neighbors and our community members," Dr. Stinson said.

She discussed the progress of what several districts are doing throughout Southeast Iowa, and that is sharing teaching staff in order to cut costs.

"It's been working really well. It is a very innovative idea. So next year, we are going to be sharing [staff]. We are going to get a half-time physical education teacher from Cardinal Schools. We've been sending them a music teacher, and also to Harmony Schools. So we are able to hire, particularly those people that are really hard to place, really hard to get, because they are in a vocational area, or in music, or Fine Arts. And we are able to share them and share resources. So that is a wonderful opportunity for us," Dr. Stinson said.

Throughout March, KTVO is speaking with school district officials throughout Southeast Iowa regarding their Fiscal Year Budget.