CAMP POINT, ILL. -- 'Tis the season for cuts in education, and this year in Illinois, many districts are feeling the pinch.

Quincy has announced 31 staff members would not return to school this fall.

Mendon schools have cut five employees because of uncertainty over state funding for the district's pre-K program.  One employee is a teacher...the other four are support staff.  The pre-K program is in jeopardy for the next school year if the state fails to fund the program.

We also checked with Liberty.  Liberty Superintendent Matt Runge tells KHQA that his district is weathering the financial storm.  The district has made subtle cuts, but is staying afloat.

We did get a hold of Payson's Superintendent Rodger Hannel.

He says the district is doing ok financially.

He says if the district doesn't get state money, reserve money is on hand, but not a lot.

Hannel adds a few cuts a few years ago helped them stay afloat now.

One bright spot in Adams County is the Camp Point Central school district.  It's finished the last several years in the black, and has the same intentions this school year.

Superintendent Martin Cook and the school district's bookkeeper, Tracy Conley, meet every two weeks to go over the books for the Camp Point Central School District.  It's just one small piece of a successful financial puzzle.

Another piece ... Bookkeeper Tracy Conley says, "Living within our means, just like we would at home.  We want to make sure we're providing the best education we can and we still have money in the bank."

That money is in the bank because of some tough decisions made over the last six years.  Camp Point Central is not immune to budget cuts.  In fact, it's because of some cuts that the district is in decent financial shape now.  Just last year, seven employees were cut.  Also, some programs and sports activities found their way to the chopping block in the last few years.

Superintendent Martin Cook says, "We started making decisions about money that comes in.  We're not going to overspend on what we do.  From 2005 to 2008, we were spending 92 percent of what we bring in.  In other words, we were saving eight to ten percent a year."

That money went into savings, and now that the state is so far behind on payments, the district is able to stay afloat by dipping into that rainy day fund.  Camp Point Central prides itself on long-range planning.  Superintendent Martin Cook tells KHQA he doesn't want to take away from other districts because he knows other districts plan ahead, too.  Cook also gives credit to teachers for being fiscally responsible.  And community fundraising recently helped pay for a new track.  School board vice president Greg Whitney understands how important that community support is. 

School Board Vice President Greg Whitney says,"I think it's very assuring to a parent that the school district would be whole and can operate its facility and not lay off teachers, etc."

The financial future of Illinois schools is cloudy, at best.  That's why Camp Point Central has saved for a rainy day ... and will try to stay on that path.

The Camp Point school district is projected to finish this school year in the black, but Greg Whitney said that doesn't mean there won't be cuts again.  He says the board has discussed some possibilities, but nothing has been decided.