The Santa Fe School Board is waiting for another week before it approves the new budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed operational budget of $115.5 million is a reduction of about 40-thousand from the current year based on a decline in student enrollment and a decrease in generated units.
It meets the mandated salary increases for all employees including the seven-percent hike passed by the state legislature and a minimum wage of 15-dollars an hour.
But board members say they would like to know a little more about the district’s programs before finalizing the spending plan.
Two board members also had excused absences on Thursday, so the other three thought it would be best to wait a week, when they may be able to return.
Board President Kate Noble says they want to know how the district is evolving in the classroom.
“How we are intentionally putting forward our funding in different ways. There’s always adjustments in order to basically make progress on the paths that we’re working on.”
The budget also increases the estimated cash balance to 5.2-percent or $6-million dollars which matches Board of Education policy.
Budget problems in recent years forced the district to cut its cash reserves.
The new budget must be submitted to the State Education Department by June 1st.