JEFFERSON — Although state funding was cut by more than $200,000, Jefferson City school system officials are optimistic that the system will be able to make it through the year without those extra funds.

During the Jefferson city school board meeting Thursday, superintendent John Jackson gave the board an update on the system’s finances.

"Based on our current spending patterns and our budget adjustments, we should exceed our expense underruns. Based on projections, our $370,000 budget underruns will more than cover the $240,000 state budget cuts," Jackson told the board.

Budget cuts already made helped the Jefferson school system stay under budget.

Jackson also told the board that the projections were based on the state not cutting any additional funding, but he mentioned that there is no guarantee that the state won’t make more cuts.

During the board’s regularly scheduled meeting, Earl Griffin, the school system’s transportation director, informed the group that 20 of the system’s 21 buses passed the state inspection earlier that day.

"The one bus that failed was our (1986) model, but it isn’t used on any of our bus routes or field trips," Griffin said. "It failed because it doesn’t have a (reverse) alarm, but in 1986, back-up alarms weren’t required. They told us what we need to fix it, though."

The board also acknowledged the efforts of the Jefferson High School football team for earning the 8-AA region championship title.

"We’ve been waiting 36 years for this," Jackson said. "We’re very proud of them and the successes they had this season."