LEBANON - Lebanon schools could cut more classified time or 1.3 more teaching positions to make up an additional $71,000 shortfall, members of the school district's budget committee heard Thursday.

No decisions have been made. The budget committee next meets at 7 p.m. May 22 in the district office, 485 S. Fifth St.

The district already was expecting to be $1.9 million in the hole next year because of a combination of rising costs, reduced tax revenue and a smaller ending fund balance because of a mid-year drop in enrollment.

On May 5, board members by majority voted to increase the portion of state funding for Sand Ridge Charter School from 80 to 85 percent as part of an amended contract with People Involved in Education. That increase works out to about $71,000, which had not been taken into account when the budget was drafted, said Tom Gaulke, interim business director.

Superintendent Jim Robinson said staff recommended two options to committee members: further reduce classified time by 20 hours or lose 1.3 more teaching positions, on top of the 16 classified hours and 8.5 teaching positions already slated to be cut.

Robinson did not specify which classified employees or teaching positions would feel the reduction, saying he preferred first to sound out the committee on the ideas.

Josh Wineteer, vice chairman of the Lebanon School Board, asked district officials to bring information to the next committee meeting showing the effect on the district if only two to six teaching positions are cut and the rest of the deficit made up from classified budgets. Robinson said he would gather that data.