POST FALLS - The Post Falls School Board unanimously approved a fiscal 2012 budget on Monday night that includes six fewer teaching positions, one less administration job and cuts to classified hours, coaches' stipends and how much the district pays for family benefits.

But the district was able to avoid layoffs and cutting entire programs with the $27.7 million General Fund budget.

The district won't be filling some positions that were vacated due to retirements or employees moving on.

"We don't have to sit across the table from anyone and tell them that they won't have a job," said Sid Armstrong, the district's finance director, adding that some employees may have to switch to a different school.

No public comment was given on the budget.

Six less certified positions represents $380,000 in salaries and benefits.

Barney Brewton, the district's director of elementary programs, will become the principal at Seltice Elementary to replace Mike Uphus. The district office position will not be filled, saving the district $90,000.

Classified employees districtwide will see an average of 5 percent less hours. The move represents $120,000.

"That's painful," Armstrong said. "Most of them don't make a lot of money anyway."

The amount that the district pays for family benefits will decrease from 80 percent to 70 percent, representing $310,000.

If the district receives $900,000 of state surplus money in July as expected, the district has agreed to pay for up to 74 percent for family benefits. The 4 percent increase would represent $124,000. The district still pays for all of the teachers' benefits.

Other possible uses for the additional funds may include hiring people where needed or implementing a math curriculum that has been on hold for three years.

Costs for coaches' stipends took a 10 percent hit, representing a total of $50,000.

"We're not eliminating any programs, but you're not going to find anyone who isn't affected at least a little," Armstrong said. "There may be a reduction of service or amount of personnel toward programs. We tried to spread the pain as thinly as we can."

The district will lose one-time federal stimulus funding that included $880,000 each of the past two years.

The district's salary schedule is frozen for the third straight year, although teachers will be eligible to receive a bump in pay with education and experience as the Legislature resumed that funding. The experience ladder has been frozen for the past two years and education was frozen last year.

Teachers will have to take one furlough day regardless whether state surplus funds are obtained. The furlough represents $75,000.

Armstrong said the district even asked its vendors such as its auditor if they can provide services at a reduced cost since the budget is less, and it worked.

"We literally turned over every leaf to save money," he said.

For the second straight year, the district will not purchase a new bus to replace an aging one.

Post Falls' budget has declined each of the past three years from $29.8 million in fiscal 2009, while its student population has increased about 1 percent each of those years to 5,643 this year.

Post Falls voters in March approved a supplemental levy of $2.615 million per year for two years, preventing further cuts. The levy will cost the average homeowner $12 a year.

A public hearing in Lakeland's school budget will be at 7 p.m. on Monday at the district office.