21 employees, 11 teachers, and 10 teaching aides have been laid off from their jobs with the Benton Community Consolidated School District #47.

The District 47 school board voted for the layoffs, citing a decrease in state funding, and a proposal to cut 2.25% from education to fill a $1.6 billion state budget hole.

It is being reported that if the financial situation improves, some of those employees may be asked to come back to work.