AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) – Maine Education Commissioner Susan Gendron is warning lawmakers that cuts to the education budget could cause the state to lose federal aid money.

Lawmakers are considering cutting the education budget by at least $38.1 million.

Gendron says the budget is already bare bones and further cuts could risk federal aid to special education, school lunches and from the federal stimulus package.

She spoke Tuesday to the Legislature’s Education Committee.

The Kennebec Journal says the federal government won’t award stimulus funds to states unless they are funding schools at least the 2005-06 levels.

If current budget projections hold, next year’s state education expenditures would be within $15 million of the minimum spending level.

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Information from: Kennebec Journal, http://www.kjonline.com/