The Lawrence school board voted to approve publication of its budget for the 2008-09 school year Monday night.

The budget, presented by finance director Kathy Johnson, included the maximum funds the district could spend for the school year. The school board will meet after public hearings Aug. 11 to approve a final budget, which could be lower than the budget presented Monday.

Johnson said the district’s maximum budget authority for its general fund is about $90.5 million; last year’s general fund budget was more than $85.3 million. The projected maximum mill levy for the school year is 1.887 mills more than the previous year’s budget. A mill is $1 in taxes for every $1,000 in assessed valuation.

The district expects to spend about $71.3 million on special revenue programs, such as adult education, virtual education and at-risk programs.

Johnson said the maximum budget was created using past budgets as reference points.

“We’re trying to prepare for the unexpected because we don’t have the ability to do it any other way,” she said.

Superintendent Randy Weseman said he didn’t expect the board to raise the mill levy by over 1 mill.

“The board is interested in moving that authority down,” he said. “Over 1 mill is not even on the radar.”

He said the challenge is to decrease the mill levy while still providing the same amount of services.

If the school district earns more than it expects from taxes and other revenue generators, such as special education and state funds, it cannot spend more than what is allotted by the maximum budget authorized Monday night, Johnson said.