Local school districts are being asked to return $58 million they've already received from the state to help ease North Carolina's state government shortfall.

The Department of Public Instruction told the 115 districts this week they must return money based on their student populations. The amount equals about $39 per student.

Gov. Mike Easley's budget office has assembled a plan to find up to $1.2 billion. Easley exempted the public school system from making sizable cuts, but the department said it could find $117 million.

State money pays for teacher salaries, textbooks and other instructional needs. The public schools regularly return unused money at the end of each fiscal year. Districts are being given the flexibility where to make the cuts.