BAMBERG - Continued concerns over the latest round of state funding cuts and a delay in the release of the state report card for Bamberg County School District 1 topped the board of trustees' agenda Monday night.

Superintendent Phyllis Schwarting said the latest cut from the South Carolina Department of Education was approximately $58,000.

"Added with the previous cuts we've experienced, we'll be approaching about a $200,000 total cut before the Christmas holiday," Schwarting said. "We will have to look at the budget to see what we can do to counteract some of that. Of course, we can't counteract all of that, so we'll just have to do the best that we can."

Schwarting added that more funding cuts are anticipated in the near future, although probably not until after the first of the year at the earliest.

"We are not yet to the point where teacher positions will have to be cut," she said. "Some staff had to be let go during the 2001-2002 school year, which was the last time we had significant state funding cutbacks."

The board was also informed the state requested that every public school district embargo its state report card to residents and parents until Jan. 15, 2009. The original release date was to be this month.

"I do believe they will be sending out new report cards at that time," Schwarting said. "We've been asked to return the ones we have so they can be properly disposed of. I feel this happened because there was some serious questioning over how the high school graduation rates were figured. If your state high school report card changes, your district report card has the possibility of changing, too. I think our elementary and middle schools are probably OK."

The board also heard a report on the 2007-2008 district audit from Elizabeth Inabinet, representing the C.C. McGregor certified public accounting firm. Inabinet noted the audit resulted in a clean opinion on that year's district financial statement, which showed $6 million in net assets and no compliance issues.

In other business:

* A revision of Policy DKB concerning district employees' 403 (b) salary deductions was unanimously approved by the board.

* Schwarting reported the district's three-year technology plan, developed by a staff committee, has been updated.

* It was noted the district's Adult Education program is now being handled through a consortium of the public school districts in Bamberg and Barnwell counties.

* The board discussed moving the Adult Education program to a portable building, complete with a child care component.

* Following an hour-long executive session regarding employee recommendations and legal advice, the board approved the hiring of a school psychologist in open session. No action was taken on the legal advice.

* It was agreed that there will be no board of trustees meeting in December.

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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