MANSFIELD - The school committee has lowered its Proposition 2 override request to $1.985 million by cutting $735,000 from next year's budget proposal.

However, Superintendent John Moretti has laid out massive teacher cuts if voters reject the override of the state's tax-limiting law to fund the budget. "This school system is at a crisis," Moretti told the school board members at their last meeting.

The latest school budget figure is $36,830,000. That reflects another $1 million cut by the school board on April 10.

School officials received $33,345,000 for this year, a $3.485 million difference.

The finance committee supports a $1.5 million increase. "We are standing alone on this," Moretti said. "We are not asking anyone to compromise their budget for us. All we're asking is for a chance to demonstrate to the town that the current funding level is not sufficient."

School officials have invited selectmen and the finance committee to discuss the situation next week.

They have two weeks until the May 15 annual town meeting, when officials hope to present voters with a balanced budget proposal.

Calculation issue

School officials and selectmen are at odds over how to calculate Mansfield's education spending.

For example, town officials have counted $4.675 million in life and health insurance benefits toward Mansfield's school expenses.

Moretti said that figure is up 15 percent from current spending. He said the increase is about 5 percent.

"We want to bring to your attention that that line item is probably inflated by $350,000," Moretti said.

The school committee later approved reducing their budget proposal by $735,000.

Among the cuts are: $120,000 in special education tuitions.

$87,000 from the school committee reserves.

$80,000 in language arts requests at the Jordan-Jackson School.

$50,000 for a second-grade teacher.

"This administration is not recommending this," Moretti said. "This administration is trying to assist the school committee in reducing the budget."

MICHAEL GELBWASSER can be reached at 508-236-0372 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.