FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) -- The price tag for educating students and keeping Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools was front in center during Wednesday night's school board meeting. The district needs to find a way to free up millions dollars the next two fiscal years to stay in the green when it comes to its budget. District Needs to Free up Millions Superintendent Tricia McManus said that this fiscal year, they need to free up $8 million. Next fiscal year, they need $16 million. To reach their goals, they could potentially cut jobs. Right now, McManus says the district has a deficit of $5 million, and they overspent in certain accounts to keep the district running. McManus says the budget cost drivers include the following: Elementary and secondary school emergency relief ending Loss of state funding for average daily membership Employee compensation increases and maintaining instructional support positions on local dollars Inflation Freezing New Hires McManus says freezing some new hires has already begun. "We are not losing our substitute teachers. They just won't be in what's considered a long-term position," McManus said. "Some still will ... We have over 100 long-term subs, but we are talking about 28 to 30 that other people are going to come in and move into those positions, so we will always have a need for substitutes, and they will be put back in the daily pool subbing every day." McManus says the goal is to save $16 million in the 2025-2026 school year. By doing so, they'll potentially eliminate digital instructional programs, reduce staff cell phone and take-home car use and furlough an executive leadership team.  ...read more read less