A budget shortfall cost hundreds of spokane teachers their jobs..

Now the mead school district is scrambling to avoid layoffs as well... At a special meeting tonight the school district revealed dozens of proposed cuts -- to offset a 12 million dollar budget gap.

Close to 70 employees could soon be out of a job.

New on nightside -- kyle simchuk tells us what programs and people could be affected the most.

Kyle -- teachers negotiated a 16 percent pay raise last fall, but the school district blames this state legislatures.

That's because they capped how much money school districts can collect from local levies -- a move that's costing mead, a growing district with two new schools on the way -- millions of dollars.

Layoff fears are spreading throughout the mead school district -- which is looking to cut 12 million dollars from its budget.at a special meeting inside northwood middle school the district's assistant superintendent revealed possible cuts to school board members, and dozens of anxious teachers and staff.

Nearly 70 employees, ranging from coaches, custodians, teachers and counselors could soon receive layoff notices.

The district is also exploring the option of cutting, and closing several programs in the district -- like the riverpoint academy stem school, and mead's alternative high school.

10:24:11 32-45 "we're talking about taking kids out of alternative problems that would never get a high school diploma, had they not been given an opportunity like mead, it's disgraceful what our legislature has done to this school district."

14jodie ash has been teaching special education for 35 years.

The proposed cuts would take away more than one point six million dollars away from special ed funding.

10:22:02 "the legislative decisions that were made last summer have put school districts across this state under attack and when schools are attacked, children are attacked."

:11 though no final decisions were made tonight -- teachers got a good sense of what's coming.

10:26:12"our parents have got to get active and start contacting their government officials.

Because there's no power in just the people that are being affected speaking up.

Your children are under attack."

:14 the school district offered an early retirement bonus and so far 15 employees have accepted it.

The school board will be taking public comments at two seperate meetings next week.

We have more info on kxly dot com.

I'm kyle simchuk, kxly four nightside.