No significant changes are expected for next year’s Battle Ground School District budget, said Mary Beth Lynn, finance director. But that doesn’t mean school administrators won’t have to grapple with some challenges. The first of two Battle Ground School District budget hearings is set for Mon., Aug. 2, 3 p.m., at the CASEE Center, 11104 NE 149th St., Brush Prairie. Lynn will present a preliminary budget to School Board members, meaning figures could change before the budget is approved. The public is invited and encouraged to attend and ask questions. Lynn said she plans to present a balanced budget. The 2010-11 budget of about $121 million will be balanced with levy funds. Funds from the Districts $64.6 million levy that passed last February won’t be available until spring 2011. Budgetary challenges this year include the removal of I-728 funding, said Lynn. I-728 gives school districts funding for more teachers, time and attention to children. Funding has been generated from the lottery and other revenues. Last year, federal stimulus dollars contributed an additional $4 million to a $1.6 million allotment of I-728 funding. This year, said Lynn, there are no local or federal funding contributions as a result of legislative cuts made to the state budget. “We decided to keep classes the same size this year by using levy funding, which truly makes it a blessing that the increase in levy funding was approved,” said Lynn. Class sizes for students in grades K-4 will remain at 24 students per teacher, middle school classes will stay at 26 students per teacher and there will be 30 students per classroom at the high school level. Levy funds will also compensate for state budget cuts to teaching staff. To balance the state budget, legislators reduced funding for fourth grade certificated staffing. Lynn said the School District intends to maintain class sizes for fourth grade students. Transportation costs are a common challenge to District staff. For the past several years transportation costs have exceeded state funding by about $4 million. Even though the transportation funding formula was reviewed by the state legislature this year, no changes have yet been offered. School board members are expected to vote on a final budget at their Sat., Aug. 28, 8:30 a.m. meeting.