KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Our school children will be directly impacted by the poor economy next school year.

Governor Phil Bredesen is crunching numbers in Nashville, but has already told every department to cut 9%, totaling a billion dollars.

School isn't just about reading, writing and arithmetic anymore. But with budget cuts down the road, it could become that simple in Tennessee schools.

"Waiting and wondering right now, we're hoping it will go our way," Knox County Council PTA President Pam Trainor said.

As the budget hearings continued on Tuesday, Trainor was curious what that will mean for our kids.

Already mentioned on the "to-cut" list:

-Tutoring programs
-School security enhancements
-Money to help schools improve Internet connections
-Health coordinators

"We are a very personnel-heavy field," Jessica Holman, President of the Knox County Education Association, said emphasizing she hopes more lay-offs won't be part of the plan.

Holman was in Nashville during the budget hearings Monday.
She was there to talk with other educators about our students' future.

"Bringing all the stake holders of public education to the table, and forming a plan to make Tennessee schools number one in the Southeast within the next five years," Holman explained. "Pretty lofty goal. You're going to need some money behind it."

And that money is short, thanks to the state budget crisis.

Trainor says the poor economy is exactly why we don't need to be cutting the education budget right now.

"Drop out rate in Knox county is way higher than it needs to be and this directly relates to jobs, and if we don't see that as a community, we're failing our kids worse than they'll ever fail themselves," Trainor told Volunteer TV.

Even though cuts are inevitable, both women have hope that stimulus dollars and grants will keep the programs in place through next school year.

"Some things that governor Bredesen may have to cut, may be compensated federally," Trainor said.

Time will tell.

In the meantime, Knox County teachers expect to lose out on extra income through programs like Career Ladder and Extended Contract.

The governor has said the only way to avoid these education cuts is if you would be willing to accept higher taxes.