| Some West Virginia schools were already cutting staff and tightening belts in anticipation of losing federal funding for rural schools.
Yesterday, the US Senate approved a plan to extend payments to rural counties hurt by cutbacks in federal logging.
The Senate plan would authorize about $2.8 billion to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act through 2011.
West Virginia's payment is about two million dollars.
The legislation to fund the school program almost bit the dust, tied to a contentious Iraq war funding bill that requires President Bush to bring combat troops home next year.
Pocahontas County, which received more than $660,000 dollars under the expired program, was planning on cutting ten teaching positions.
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