CALUMET CITY | Officials with Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 are considering a $45.18 million budget for the upcoming school year that maintains educational experiences at current levels.

The budget the District 215 School Board reviewed this week for the school year that started Friday is an increase from the $42.81 million spending plan the district used during the 2007-08 school year.

Officials noted that much of the 5.5 percent increase is due to construction projects totaling $3.3 million at the district's high schools in Calumet City and Lansing, which are one-time expenses that won't recur in future years.

District Superintendent Creg Williams also noted that about $1.2 million in increases will cover pay raises for faculty and other staff at the two high schools and at the district's vocational center in Calumet City.

Williams said the proposed budget does not call for any cuts to athletic programs at either of the high schools.

"They're all funded at the same level as last year," he said.

Williams also said various education initiatives he has enjoyed boasting about in recent months -- including expansions to or creation of vocational programs -- all will receive full funding for the upcoming year.

The budget proposal also calls for buying new textbooks for English, mathematics and biology courses taught at the high schools.

"We have a balanced budget, and we are able to fund all of our new initiatives," Williams said.

Helping the district to balance its budget were state and federal grants it received to operate Advanced Placement courses.

"Getting those grants helped us to avoid having to make cuts," Williams said.

School Board President Debbie Waitekus called the plan "a real clean budget, a real tight budget. It has been trimmed down to the essentials."

In total, the budget proposal provides $34.55 million for its educational fund -- a 5.9 percent increase from last year. Building maintenance is budgeted at $4.52 million, while transportation will cost an estimated $1.76 million.

The proposal shows that the two high schools don't receive equal amounts for each expenditure. Officials noted that some expenses were credited purely to one high school, even though both schools benefit.

"I'm not so concerned that both campuses get identical amounts," School Board member James Gigliotti said. "We need to put the dollars where the need is greatest."

There also were some gaffes in the proposed budget, such as the line item for the boy's golf team at Thornton Fractional South, which contained an extra $90,000. Williams said that was just a typographical error.

TF South Principal John Hallberg joked that he could find a use for that much money.

"Tiger Woods could be our coach," he quipped.

The School Board is scheduled to give the proposal final consideration when it meets Sept. 23.