(WSBT) Budget issues are nothing new for people in Michigan. But now they’re affecting a specialized school in Berrien County. The Truancy Academy could be forced to shut down.

Truancy is a problem dozens of students in Berrien County face each year.

"A lot of it's social, especially when you're dealing with middle school students,” explained Sheryl Voege, a Truancy Academy teacher.

The Truancy Academy in Berrien Center gives students who have problems with attendance a temporary alternative, a way for them to gain confidence and independence.

"With regard to school work, my goal for them is to be able to do things on their own, with or without the help of any teacher,” Voege told WSBT News.

Officials used figures from last year to reinforce its track record.

"There were 32 children who were at the center,” said Berrien County Intermediate School District Superintendent Jeff Siegel. “Twenty-seven of them were still in school the following year and five students had moved out of the county."

The program is partly funded through the Berrien County Trial Court, an agency now facing budget constraints.

It's likely the Truancy Academy won't be receiving funding from them as of next year.

"The financial portion of it that we use to help offset the cost of transportation, that's what they may be cutting back on,” explained Siegel.

But school officials say it's not a reason to panic.

"When you have a program that's successful, you want to find a way to keep it going,” Siegel said.

"The reality is that there are going to be cutbacks and we'll just adjust,” Voege said.

And Seigel says he's confident they will find a way to keep the program going.

The Berrien County Intermediate School District is hoping to offset the cutbacks through grants and by using its savings account.