The state is working to create a budget for the coming school year and right now there is too little money to keep funding education at the current level.

Henry county schools superintendent Dennis Coe said, “Right now it's a big question as to where we are going to be. I think no one knows.”

Superintendents are looking for answers to end their financial crisis. Projected budgets for the 2011 fiscal year show a need to cut thousands of jobs across the state.

Coe said, “I know there is talk of cutting 3500 teachers and for us that could be from 15-30 teachers here in Henry County.”

School officials understand money is tight and ask for just one consideration from the legislature.

Ozark city schools superintendent michael Lenhart said, "The best thing that could happen for all schools is for the governor and legislature to give us a realistic budget so we can make plans that won't have to be prorated."

Coe said, “Superintendents hope to get across to the governor that whatever we budget needs to be based on real dollars, we don't need to be budgeting based on funds that we hope will be there."

Right now, the proposed budget includes money that the state does not have.

Alabama state department of education Melinda Maddox said, “There is currently a bill at the federal level that riley and Morton support to help save teachers jobs. The governor's budget is built on that bill passing and it's just essential that we have those federal dollars coming in to help at this extreme time."

That means if the current budget is passed as is and federal funds do not come through school systems across the state will be faced with a third straight year of probation. Teachers will be notified if they are being let go by may of this year.