Litchfield Schools' statutory operating debt plan approved by Dept. of Education

LITCHFIELD -- The Minnesota Department of Education has approved Litchfield Public Schools' recovery plan for getting out of statutory operating debt.

Superintendent Bill Wold said today the state Department of Education approved the plan last week. Wold updated the School Board about the approval during Monday's regular meeting.

"The good news is we got the approval," Wold said. "The not so good news is now we have to go do it."

The district's three-year recovery plan includes more than $1.2 million in budget reductions, which could include cuts in teaching positions and programming.

The district can now propose referendums to voters about a new operating levy at will until it recovers from statutory operating debt. The district must make requests to the state education commissioner before putting referendums up for a vote.

Read more about the state's approval of Litchfield's recovery plan and the district's hopes for an upcoming referendum in Wednesday's edition of the West Central Tribune.