Montgomery – State Schools Superintendent Joe Morton has told legislators it would be "catastrophic" to make cuts in the budget for K-12 schools.
Morton appeared at budget hearings Thursday as legislators face preparing an education budget that will be more than $500 million less than the $6.7 billion spending plan for the current fiscal year.
Morton said it "breaks his heart" to think funding for programs like initiatives to improve performance in reading and math and science could be cut.
Morton presented lawmakers with a request for an increase of $245 million from the $4.5 billion that K-12 education received in last year's budget.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)