Lake Washington School Board to Hear First Budget Reading at Tonight's Meeting

Editor's note: This story has been updated.

The Lake Washington School District Board of Directors will hear the first reading of the 2011-2012 budget tonight at its regular meeting, set for 7 p.m. at the , 16250 NE 74th St. in Redmond.

District spokeswoman Kathryn Reith said the reading will be the first time district staff presents its draft budget to the board. Board members will have the opportunity to discuss the proposal and instruct staff members to take money from one area and move it to another, Reith said.

“This is really sort of the first introduction of the draft budget with all the explanations of what are we doing and why,” she said.

The budget reading will also likely offer the first glimpse at how district officials plan to implement from the newly passed state budget. LWSD officials said in May they expected the state budget to translate into a pay cut for teachers and a reduction in funding for class ratios.

A general public comment period will be held at the beginning of tonight's meeting, but an official public hearing on the proposed budget will not be held until August, when the board is scheduled to vote on the plan.

The complete agenda for tonight's board meeting is available here.