The Tift County Board of Education has passed a budget requiring classroom days and funding for libraries to be reduced in response to more than $5 million in budget cuts.

Board members voted Tuesday to adopt a budget for Fiscal Year 2014 that includes about $5.3 million in funding cuts from the state. Superintendent Patrick Atwater said officials don't want to cut programs that could impact students and faculty but must respond to financial restrictions.

The budget has moved school system officials to cut four days from the instructional calendar, leaving students with 176 days of classroom time. Faculty and staff are also being asked to take six furlough days next school year.

The Tift County School District operates 13 schools in the south Georgia county.

Tags: budget cuts, teacher furloughs, furlough days, education budget cuts, tift county schools