And when his 2012-13 budget proposal was released May 31, it further trimmed the achievement gap plan’s price tag to $4.4 million. That final district proposal contained 17 concepts to address the achievement gap under the original six areas of focus.

In the end, after several amendments were passed by the board Monday, the cost for the achievement gap plan in 2012-13 is up slightly, to $4.5 million. One amendment expanded the successful AVID/TOPS college preparatory program at the middle school level, while another will fund a program tied in with Operation Fresh Start that will help dropouts earn a high school diploma instead of an equivalency degree.

It became clear a few times during extended debate Monday night over the pros and cons of more than 40 amendments to Nerad’s proposed budget that board members were becoming uneasy with the projected increase in the tax levy.

“I think we’re putting too much on the property tax levy and we’re going to be backed into a really difficult budget in the future,” new board member Mary Burke said a little more than two hours into the meeting. “And I don’t want to be presenting that to a new superintendent saying, ‘Your hands are tied because we’ve already spent all that money.'”