At the kindergarten-through-12th grade level, administrators are praising state lawmakers for giving them the heads up on potential cuts that could affect their budget planning.

Governor Heineman is proposing a reduction of 4.8 percent to the Department of Education in the 2010-2011 school year during a special session to cut state spending.

The state's potential spending cuts aren't worrying Nebraska's school districts yet.

"Right now we got time on our side to see what the outcome will be," said Kirk Russell, superintendent at Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schools.

"We're not going to wine about it. We're just going to do what's our fair and responsible part," said Steve Joel, superintendent at Grand Island Public Schools.

For Russell and Joel, this is far from the first time budget cuts have loomed.

Administrators have already thought of what might go first.

"Things like delaying text book purchases for a year, looking at some maintenance things that we'd love to do, maybe should do and hold off a year," said Joel.

"Paper, copies, maybe making text books or other curriculum materials just last another year or two," said Russell.

The governor has said-when it comes to education-he wants cuts to come from the top. That means lawyers, lobbyists, and administrators.

"I think that sounds really good and that's kind of what the public wants to hear," said Joel. "I'm not minimizing it, but...there's an awful lot of administrative bureaucracy that has to exist just to be compliant with all the responsible and regulations that we have to be complaint with."

Instead, school officials say they'll put everything on the table.