DAYTONA BEACH -- As students head back to school Monday morning, budget cuts are causing changes across the region.
In Volusia County, some schools are expecting more students after the district closed four schools because of a $45 million shortfall.
Hundreds of teachers had to be let go and 39 bus routes were eliminated, affecting 1,500 stops.
Two of the schools that were closed, are reopening as charter schools. Samsula Elementary has been taken over by the Reading Edge Academy and Bonner Elementary is now operating as Academies of Excellence.
Students from Bonner Elementary School in Daytona Beach have been moved to Palm Terrace Elementary School.
Seville Elementary School students will be starting the school year at Pierson Elementary School.
Three other schools will be closing over the next three years because of the budget problems:
- Burns-Oak Hill Elementary: Closing 2010
- Starke Elementary: Closing 2011
- Holly Hill Middle School: Closing 2012
On the 20th day of school, the yearly attendance figures are announced. The school district expects around 1,500 fewer students this year and that could affect the funding for the rest of the year.
To help the students adjust to the new school, pen pal programs were set up to allow the students from the closed school to interact with students from their new school. They also brought the students to the new school to familiarize them with their surroundings and transferred some teachers so the children can see some familiar faces.
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