During a work session last week, the Selma City School Board learned it could be in danger of losing the Early College Program. Monday, at 11:30 a.m. in the Central Office Board Room, the board will meet to seek solutions.

Selma City Schools interim superintendent Gerald Shirley said the problem stems from state cutbacks that affected budgets.

“This is due to cutbacks to funding in the department of workforce development,” he said.

The school system would be asked to cover tuition for the summer and past fall of $155,693.

School board president Henry Hicks said the board knew this could be an issue and now must explore how they can meet their obligation.

“I think we already knew that was coming,” he said. “The only question is will we be able to meet that obligation?”

Board member Frank Chestnut Jr. said he would also like to see the board take preventative measures to make sure this isn’t a problem moving forward.

“My concern is why we are where we are,” he said. “I know we have been struggling with this, and I remember us struggling last year. I thought everything was up to par. My concern is how did we get in this situation and how do we get out of it?”

The city school system initially received funding for the program through Sen. Hank Sanders’ office for the program. Wallace also sought out grants and funds through the office of Workforce Development.

The funds were in place for the last four years, however, the office decided recently not to reimburse the college for the summer and fall funds. The office’s budget was cut by $2 million, which forced them to cut programs.

The office cited changes in funding policies as the reason for no longer supporting the project.

Representatives of Wallace said when the funds ran out, they were no longer in position to hold up the program.

“When Wallace and the Selma City Schools entered into this program along with the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation to provide this funding, part of that memorandum of understanding stated the advisory boards for the Selma Early College program as well as the Black Belt Readiness program find funding for those programs after the funding the funding the Gates Foundation provided had been exhausted,” Wallace Community College Enrollment Management Specialist Lonzy Clifton said. “Those funds were exhausted in the spring of 2010. Since that time, Wallace has carried the burden of providing tuition and books as well.”

Shirley and representatives of Wallace Community College said they plan to work together to find solutions to keep the program in place.