Lawrence school board members unanimously approved publishing a $96.9 million overall budget for the 2004-2005 school year.

It’s a big step toward adoption of the spending blueprint for the coming school year.

District finance director Kathy Johnson told board members Tuesday night that they could decrease the budget after it is published, but that increasing the budget would be more complicated.

“What’s approved here are basically the numbers you will live with,” Johnson said.

The process of developing the budget began months ago.

Board President Leni Salkind said after the meeting that the district’s budget committee worked well, despite some difficulties. For the past several years the committee, dealing with flat funding from the state, has had to propose reductions.

But Salkind noted the committee also was able to add some items, while working to prevent cuts from affecting programs and students.

The district came up with $910,000 in staffing and items it wanted to add to the budget, such as a classified-reclassification study and library materials. The board also wanted to make sure the district could cover insurance increases.

The district lost about $805,000 in funding due to declining enrollment. The loss, combined with items added to the budget, meant the district had to find $1.7 million in reductions to keep the budget and mill levy steady.

The budget calls for cutting 12 elementary teachers, reducing custodial staff by two positions and eliminating the district’s purchasing director and a media clerk. The board approved increasing building rental fees. And district officials also opted to not purchase uniforms for operations and maintenance staff members.

Additionally, salary increases for faculty and staff remain an unknown. The board decided to wait to determine salary increases until the Kansas Supreme Court and Legislature determine funding levels for education. The Kansas Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in late summer on a lawsuit that challenges the state’s system for funding public education.

The board is scheduled to formally adopt the budget after a public hearing Aug. 9.

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If the budget is adopted after that Aug. 9 public hearing, the new levy for Lawrence schools would be 47.647 mills, which is .001 mills more than the 47.646 mills of a year ago.

“I tried to get it to zero, but we just didn’t quite make it,” Johnson said.

A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed valuation.