The $841.9 million tentative budget for fiscal 2013, which runs from July 1 to June 30, 2013, is based on a projected enrollment of 106,591 students.

The Board of Education approved the budget 6-1 on Thursday.

It closes a projected $62.5 million deficit by increasing class sizes by an average of two students, reducing the number of teachers by 350, furloughing employees for five days, cutting the school year to 175 days from 180, making media center paraprofessionals part-timers, delaying step raises by half a year, and spending $21 million of reserve funds, among other actions.

The school board will hold a public forum on the budget at 7 p.m. on May 7 at the Central Office. Members will discuss changes at their 8:30 a.m. work session May 9.

At that work session, Chief Financial Officer Mike Addison will present an alternative plan that uses three furlough days and a 177-day school year and makes parapros in elementary school media centers full-timers again.

Those changes combined would cost about $7 million: $6.1 million for the two unfurloughed days; $400,000 for transportation for the two school days; and $590,000 for the parapros.

The board will approve the final budget at its 7 p.m. meeting on May 17.

In the meantime, citizens can watch the above video, as well as review all budget documents and leave suggestions on a public comment wall. Several comments have already been posted.

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