The Coweta

County Board of Education is expected to give final approval next week

to its $125 million general fund budget.

But to balance

this year's budget and to keep the millage rate steady, the school system

may have to use $5 million of its reserve fund, said public information

officer Dean Jackson.

Coweta County

learned the bad news earlier this month that the state was reducing the

county's funding by more than $5.6 million.

"Last

year, we budgeted a small amount of reserve funds into the budget and

didn't have to use them. We're hoping that's going to be the case this

year," Jackson said.

Because of

the weak economy and tight budget, teachers are not getting their normal

2 to 3 percent raise. The only raises in this year's budget are step increases.

"We were

able to have an across the board raise last year for all employees. There's

just not the money to do it this year," said Jackson.

Despite being

one of the tightest budgets in years, Jackson said the school system was

able to balance the budget without eliminating any positions and keeping

Coweta's class sizes small.

The board will

vote on the budget June 26 at 5 p.m. at its Jackson Street headquarters

in Newnan.