The budget for next school year rode smoothly past first reading Monday night after board members agreed to the district’s plan, which matches spending to a smaller $38.9 million cash flow.

Last school year, the district budget had $2.6 million more spending allowance or 6.33 percent more revenue.

The plan this year saves $1 million after cutting 20 classroom teachers.

Other cut jobs save $182,874 with two fewer administrators, and $133,413 with five fewer “classified” jobs or workers who aren’t certified.

It also saves $237,624 after cutting five “certified instructional support” positions, or jobs that include instructional coaches, media specialists and guidance counselors, for example. Four of the “certified” employees were paid from money for the federal reading program. The district no longer has Reading First funds available.

The district also saves $300,000 by scraping off teachers’ “step” increase.

The “step” is the roughly 2 percent salary add-on teachers get each year through their 22nd year.

And though the budget plan in March showed the district could save $404,400 with four teacher daylong layoffs, the district trimmed teacher furloughs to one day.

It may, however, use more furloughs if forecasted mid-year budget cuts do indeed fall.

The first budget reading also has tacked back on supply money for teachers.

Last budget meeting, the district thought to save $125,000 by using the roughly $250 teachers spend on classroom supplies to stay multiple teacher furloughs.

But a full package of furloughs, step scrapes and supply money cuts was too heavy for board members to approve.

“So you either take a furlough day, which is taking from teachers, take the step increase, which is taking from some teachers, and then if you stack on top of that taking away the supply money, that’s just too much,” says Board Member Jody Hamm. “I’d like to keep that supply money in at least.”

Other board members agreed in favor of keeping classroom supply funds.

But giving teachers supply money shrinks district “contingency” padding, which last year softened the blow of mid-year budget cuts.

Therefore, the contingency fund is a slimmer $103,363. In March, the district planned for contingency to be double its size: $206,862. A bigger padding would help prevent mid-year layoffs.

“To clarify and be certain on what we’re voting on, we’re going to take the step out...we’ll have a (one day teacher, two-day administrative) furlough plan and we’re giving the supplement for supplies for the teachers?” asked Board Chairman Don Saylor to summarize the budget plan.

“Yes, sir,” said Chief Financial Officer Susan Dowd.

The budget plan got a unanimous nod from board members.

But there are still lingering questions.

State revenue numbers aren’t final, said Dowd.

“When do they got to give us a number?” Saylor asked.

“It actually could be right up until the last reading, our second reading, before we can feel good about what we’re presenting at this time,” said Dowd, “because there still could be changes.”

Also, the “flexibility proviso” that allows districts to cut teacher’s step increase, which the state required last year, is still up in the air.

“They’re still on the floor debating these provisos,” said Dowd.

“Even it if makes it through the house and senate budgets, it does go to the governor’s desk,” she said. “And he has the option to veto anything that comes before him.”

After three budget work sessions, regularly scheduled board updates and many hours, Dowd says a passed budget on first reading is the result of time and “hard work put in by everyone involved its development.”

“Although there could be changes legislatively that will lead to changes to the budget,” she says, “the administration and school board are making hard decisions with the best information we have available at this time.”

Other planned savings

• $100,000 by reducing Alternative School services

• $137,513 by renegotiations of both custodial and lawn maintenance contracts

• $292,688 by reducing school and departmental supply and travel budgets

• $200,000 by reducing the substitute budget

Up next

—The public hearing is scheduled for June 7 at 7 p.m.

—Second reading is June 28

Both meetings will be at the Learning Center on Highway 219.