State schools superintendent Hank Bounds has told local districts to prepare for budget cuts this year and next.

Although Gov. Haley Barbour has not ordered any immediate cuts, he wants state agencies to be ready to cut spending by 2 percent before the fiscal year ends June 30. He also is asking agencies to trim 4 percent from their spending requests.

Bounds told local school superintendents during a meeting Wednesday in Jackson that the state may cut the Mississippi Adequate Education Program by 4 percent next year. The program is the state’s formula for funding K-12 education.

Bounds said he will have more specific details about possible budget cuts at the end of November.