If Gov. Matt Bevin’s proposed budget cuts targeting K-12 education are approved, it could mean the elimination of 27 teaching positions in the Bowling Green Independent School District.

Members of the district’s board of education discussed that possibility during a meeting Monday.

“If we took the governor’s budget today, if that budget would pass, the number of cuts we would have to make could be somewhere near 27 teachers in our district,” Superintendent Gary Fields said in an interview after the meeting.

Ultimately, that would mean larger class sizes and fewer supportive services for students, Fields said.

“Something has to give if we have to cut that many positions,” he said.

During the meeting, the board approved a funding allocation that will eliminate eight current teaching positions. This was part of a state-mandated allocation to each of the district’s site-based decision-making councils, which are groups made up of parent and staff representatives.

“Right now, our teacher allocations for this year will result in a loss of eight teachers districtwide,” Fields said.

He added the loss would translate into one teacher at each of the district’s five elementary schools, one at its junior high and two at its high school.

“That’s going to provide us about $329,000 in less personnel costs for next year,” he said.

However, that “doesn’t even come close” to covering an increase of roughly $600,000 the district must make in contributions to the County Employees Retirement System, Fields said.

If Bevin’s budget did pass into law, “then we’re going to have to look at many other areas to make those cuts,” Fields said.

Board members also approved initial state documents that will allow the district to construct adjacent practice soccer and football fields at Bowling Green Junior High School. The project will also include locker rooms.

Ongoing renovations at Bowling Green High School will displace the current practice soccer field there.

Fields said the fields will be available this summer for both sports to use.

“We’re excited about that,” he said. “We’ll get the maximum use out of that space.”