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The South Routt School Board will vote to adopt a preliminary 2009-10 budget when it meets at 7 p.m. today.

The $7.3 million budget will be amended in November after the district determines its final student enrollment for the 2009-10 school year. Colorado public school districts are funded on a per-pupil basis, so exact revenues can't be determined until after the Oct. 1 pupil count date.

District officials plan on flat enrollment growth next year. In 2008-09, there were 436 students enrolled in Soroco schools, district Business Manager Dina Murray said. So far, 440 students have enrolled for school next year, but that number could fluctuate by the time Oct. 1 rolls around.

Next year's $7.3 million budget is about $2 million less than it was for 2008-09, which included funding to complete the district's heat and energy improvement project and the new South Routt Early Learning Center.

The School Board will formally approve a final budget to be submitted to the state by Jan. 31, 2010.

Also tonight, the School Board will vote on an addendum to Superintendent Scott Mader's contract that would allow him to retire under the state's Public Employees' Retirement Association program but continue to work as superintendent and collect his current salary.

Murray said Mader will continue to work for the district but will start receiving retirement benefits from PERA for one year.

"Many school employees do it," she said. "In education, it's a pretty common thing."

Murray said Mader's $96,290 salary wouldn't change while he receives PERA retirement benefits.

Mader said his contract was renewed in March for two years and runs through the 2010-11 school year. After that, Mader isn't sure what he'll do, he said.

As part of tonight's budget approval process, School Board members will vote to approve an interest-free loan resolution for the 2009-10 school year. The state loan program allows districts to borrow from the Colorado Department of Education while they wait for their property tax payments to be allocated. Property taxes aren't paid to the district until March, Murray said, but the district needs money to operate in the interim.

Passing the resolution will allow Soroco to borrow a maximum of $3 million against property taxes. Soroco must pay back the loan as soon as it receives its property tax allocation. Murray said the loan amount for the 2008-09 school year was $2.2 million, but a change to the school finance formula dictates the district receive more money from property taxes and less from the state.

Also tonight, the School Board will vote to approve the district's improvement plan. Mandated by the state, the plan dictates Soroco's curriculum and achievement goals for students.