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Guilford County Schools officials expect to lose about $5 million in state funding, nearly twice what was expected. The amount represents about 0.8 percent of the $643 million budget approved in August.

School superintendents statewide were notified earlier this week that they would have to revert some state funding — totaling about $58 million — to Raleigh as part of cost-cutting measures. The mandate came from Gov. Mike Easley’s office as state officials prepared for a budget shortfall that could be as high as $1.6 billion.

Guilford County will have to cut $2.8 million for the state’s budget-cutting measures. But according to school officials, Guilford needs to cut an additional $2.3 million in state funds because of lower than projected student enrollment.

Projected enrollment was 72,219. The school system estimates enrollment is 600 to 700 students less than that, meaning a loss of $2.3 million in per student funding.

Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green said Wednesday that he has ordered immediate hiring freezes for many vacant positions.

The central office is also holding back about 25 percent of the money allocated to the schools for instructional supplies like paper and pencils. That money could be returned and the hiring freeze lifted if Green and his staff find other areas to trim.

It is too early to say whether the cuts will be many small ones or a few large ones, Green said. However, Green said he is drawing from his experience dealing with a budget shortfall of about $18 million last year in Charlotte. The philosophy there, he said, was to spread the burden around as much as possible, while at the same time limiting the impact to classrooms.

“At this point, the team is about the business of trying to find where we can make the budget cuts,” Green said.

Not on the chopping block is the hiring of a new chief of staff. Last week, the school board approved hiring Nora Carr. She currently works for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as the top public relations official. Carr’s base salary will be $150,000.

Some school board members are standing behind the decision.

“We have to be committed to providing the superintendent with the tools and resources he needs to do his job,” said school board Vice Chairman Amos Quick. He added that the board would consider eliminating the position if Green recommends it.

Green said he can’t promise there won’t be layoffs, but he said that is something he wants to avoid.

The system had reserve funds totaling about $555,000 at the end of the 2006-07 school year. School officials could not say how much that has increased since then.

Several school board members have said publicly the budget cuts are a concern, but they will do their best to see that students and teachers are not directly affected. Chairman Alan Duncan said cutting teachers should be off the table. There will no doubt be some consequences to other cuts though, he said.

“We’re not going to be able to provide all the services we want to provide,” Duncan said. “Nonetheless, we’re going to have to embark on a course to make this work.”

Mark Jewell, president of the Guilford County Association of Educators, said he already has heard from concerned teachers.

“I don’t think there’s any way you can fill a $5 million crack in our district.” Jewell said. “Clearly, we can’t continue to do more and more with less and less.”

The cost-cutting measures come in the same week that county officials warned there could be trouble selling the school-construction bonds passed by voters this spring.

The school budget cuts need to be made by mid-December, officials said.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com