Next month, voters in one Suffolk County school district will have a difficult choice when they vote on whether to approve South Country Central School District's $147 million spending plan that includes dozens of position eliminations.

Last week, the board of education adopted a budget that includes 51.2 position cuts to close a $3 million budget deficit for next year.

The cuts would be wide-ranging and include 35 full-time equivalent positions, including teachers and librarians, as well as 12 teaching assistants, 3 safety officers and 1 custodian.

Board members blamed a loss of federal funds, unforeseen spending increases and declining student enrollment for the cuts.

In a budget presentation earlier this month, school officials wrote, "The need for staffing reductions...has become unavoidable. These decisions are incredibly difficult and made only after exhausting all other options."

In a post on social media, the Bellport Teachers Association, which represents educators in the South Country Central School District, wrote, "Bellport Teachers are currently facing a loss of over 10% of our membership due to budget cuts. This reduction will be felt more deeply by our students than by any other group in the district."

South Country is the latest in a trend of school districts all across Long Island cutting back to close multimillion-dollar budget deficits for next year.

Antonio Santana, superintendent of schools for South Country Central School District, provided the following statement:

"South Country, like many districts across New York State, is confronting a combination of significant fiscal challenges. The expiration of federal relief funds, reductions in both foundation and building aid, and steep, unforeseen increases in costs related to health insurance, transportation, and special education have placed a considerable strain on our budget. At the same time, although enrollment is declining overall, our special education and ENL populations continue to grow, requiring additional staffing to meet mandated services. These realities have forced the district to make difficult decisions to ensure long-term financial stability while continuing to prioritize student needs. These decisions are never made lightly – staff reductions outside of attrition are always a last resort."