Major financial and contractual decisions will be on the table Monday for three school districts in Kootenai County.

Coeur d'Alene School Board

Two votes are scheduled to ratify the Coeur d'Alene School District's recently negotiated teachers contract, covering a more than $2 million shortfall and additional furlough days.

Members of the Coeur d'Alene Educators Association teachers union will vote at Woodland Middle School over the agreement, hammered out over the past several weeks by district staff and union reps.

The Coeur d'Alene School District board will also vote on the contract at its meeting at 5 p.m. at the Midtown Center at 1504 N. Fifth St. The meeting will also include a presentation and hearing on the district's next fiscal year's budget.

CEA bylaws require a quorum of two-thirds of union membership, or 275 votes, to ratify the agreement, according to an email from union rep Kristi Milan to school district employees.

The school board needs a majority vote to approve the contract.

"The negotiations process was collaborative," stated Superintendent Hazel Bauman in an email. "While the settlement is again one that requires sacrifices, it is believed to be fair by both sides, in light of the economic times."

The final version of the proposed agreement addresses an anticipated $2,043,000 budget shortfall by reducing the fund balance by $1.3 million. That would still fund full step and lane teacher pay increases, and maintain the current insurance plan.

Step increases compensate for longevity. Lane raises compensate for continued education.

The contract includes accepting the Blue Cross of Idaho rebate to the general fund, to provide another $150,000.

Another $372,000 would be saved by teachers adding two non-instructional furlough days.

The district's contribution for family health insurance would also be reduced 2 percent, to save $164,000.

The contract would add on 10 sick days, for a total 370 days starting in the 2012-13 school year.

The document also specifies that if the district's fund balance exceeds the projected amount of $5,336,998, the district will bring back two furlough days.

Any remaining amount would be split 50/50 between the budget and the employees. Benefited employees who didn't receive raises would collect a one-time payment in their November paychecks.

The union and district also added an MOU, specifying that the district will revert to the 2010-11 Master Articles of Agreement if the Students Come First legislation is repealed. The master contract will only be amended to include updates on salary, benefits and leaves.

Post Falls School Board

The Post Falls School Board on Monday will decide on a "late start Mondays" proposal for next school year.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 408 N. Spokane St. It also will conduct a public hearing on the district's fiscal 2013 budget.

Sid Armstrong, the district's finance director, said, "We are simply rolling the budget over and providing the same level of service."

The proposed total general fund budget for next year is $27.9 million, compared with the current budget of $27.7 million.

"This increase is due to an increase in enrollment of about 75 students," Armstrong said.

The district received $26.5 million in support from the state in fiscal year 2009, compared with $23.3 million for the upcoming fiscal 2013.

Benefit costs are on the rise, so the district wasn't able to increase base salaries, Armstrong said.

"Our benefit premium increased so we had to reduce the plan and charge employees more for their portion of the cost to arrive at no increase in overall cost," he said.

Superintendent Jerry Keane said $1.5 million has been cut from the budget over the past two years.

"While some of those reductions have resulted in the reduction in both certified and educational support staff, we have been able to protect most of our student programs," Keane said.

Keane said on Monday he will recommend a proposal to start all schools 25 minutes later on Mondays starting in the fall on a one-year pilot basis.

The board is expected to make a decision on the plan, which is intended to provide a more consistent time for teacher training and collaboration, and focus on individual students.

The proposal includes adding two instructional days to next school year to make up for the lost classroom time.

The district would provide free before-school child care at elementary schools for the 25 minutes if families need it.

Lakeland School Board

The Lakeland School Board on Monday is scheduled to decide whether or not to float another plant facility levy to voters in August.

Voters in March turned down a plant facility levy of $905,000 per year for 10 years that would have helped fund building repairs, equipment, buses and classroom furniture. The proposal obtained 53 percent approval, falling short of the 55 percent needed.

While at the polls, voters approved a supplemental levy.

Tom Taggart, the district's business director, said the board will consider whether to hold another plant facility levy vote in August or wait until next year. It also will consider whether to keep the levy at 10 years, which is the typical length of such levies, or float a five-year proposal.

Taggart said a five-year levy might be easier for voters to digest. Taggart said an amount for the levy proposal hasn't been set.

The board will also hold a public hearing on its proposed $23.8 million budget for fiscal 2013 at the meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at the district office at 15506 N. Washington St.

The proposed budget is up $498,467 - 2.1 percent - from the current budget.

"Most of that is a result of restoring cuts that were made last year," Taggart said.

Taggart said no new programs are proposed. Lakeland's full-time instructional staff will be reduced by six through attrition.

Taggart said the district's salary budget has been reduced $1.2 million - a 7.1 percent reduction - since 2008-09.

Taggart estimates the district will receive 15.5 percent ($3.4 million) less in state support next year compared to 2008-09.

"This is a combination of state budget cuts and the impact of declining enrollment," Taggart said.

Taggart said the district will able to provide employees with their first pay increases in four years.