by Krystal Paco

Guam - Work sessions are underway at the Legislature to shave down the Department of Education's budget which is currently $16 million over the governor's request of $195 million. Representatives from DOE, the Legislature as well as the Governor's Education Liason Vince Leon Guerrero were at the table today.

According to Committee Chair on Education Speaker Judi Won Pat, several items have been cut including the costs of collateral equipment used for the JFK Tiyan campus and the closure of F.Q. Sanchez Elementary School in Umatac. Southern High School will also be changing to a 3-x-3 scheduling instead of the current 4-x-4 format due to an excess of up to 24 teachers.

The speaker says these cuts alone total about $9 million, noting, "The department is going to have to go back and look again as to what cuts have to be made."