Start Making a Reader Today, a state program that matches K-3 students with local mentors who help them learn to read and enjoy doing so, had its funding cut from the state budget Wednesday.
SMART CEO Terry Shanley said in a statement that she is disappointed in the state’s decision to cut educational programs when money gets tight.
According to the statement, SMART receives 93 percent of its funding from individual donors, businesses and grants, and the state provides the remaining 7 percent of its funding.
SMART requested $263,000 from the state for the 2009-11 biennium, but will not receive any funds.
The program planned to use the money to purchase take-home books for more than 7,500 K-3 students in the program during a two-year period.
Shanley said SMART has already made significant cuts and reduced expenses in 2008 by cutting $1 million from its operating budget.
Already this year, SMART has reduced staffing levels at its headquarters by 30 percent, and the executive team chose to take voluntary pay cuts.
Shanley said that without the money, SMART will be forced to cut its services to more than 500 children.
[email protected]