November 6, 2009 Regional school districts scramble to cope with budget cuts Play video

(NECN: Kenneth Craig) - At regional school districts across the state, officials are scrambling to make up for drastic cuts announced last week.

At the Wachusett Regional school district -- they have to come up with more than a million dollars.

The cuts came as Governor Patrick announced his plans to close a 600 billion dollar budget shortfall.

While he directly cut education and local aid -- he slashed nearly 18 million dollars from chapter 71 funding -- which covers the costs to transport students to and from school in regional school districts.

Wachusett school committee chair Margaret Watson says in the end -- all areas will suffer -- when the money is pulled from the education budget and supplemented from the towns.

Meanwhile state law requires regional districts to transport students to school that live more than a mile away -- free of charge.

For nearly 20 years -- the state has reimbursed Wachusett for almost 90 percent of the costs.

But nearly a 63 percent cut this year alone -- means the district must figure out a way to make up the difference.