Officials of a central Indiana school district want to speed up plans to close three elementary schools and two middle schools as they face a $3.6 million cut in state funding.

Kokomo's superintendent is to ask the School Board next month to set the closings for the end of this school year -- a year earlier than scheduled.

Superintendent Christopher Himsel says the expected savings from the consolidation will help reduce the funding gap, but not completely close it. He is uncertain how many jobs will be cut.

The School Board approved the closing plan in 2008 after a study found that the district's 11 elementaries and four middle schools left it with excess room for 2,000 students. The district will be left with six elementaries and two middle schools.

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