The state's budget is on the minds of Freeport School District leaders, but they're not stressing like their stateline peers. Here's how District 145 is staying lay-off free.

Right now Illinois owes Freeport School District more than two-million dollars. District administrators expect that number to double next year yet no teacher layoffs have been announced. You may be asking how is is possible.

A combination of conservative planning and simple luck is allowing Superintendent Peter Flynn to balance his budget. Through resignations, retirements and non-renewals 38 teachers including 4 prinicpals will not return this fall.

So while other school districts are laying-off teachers with the intention of hiring some back District 145 already has a similar flexibility.

By not filling vacant positions Flynn expects to save more than two-million dollars. That gives Freeport schools the ability to examine their budget without firing staff in advance.

"We are very conservative in the way we budget and our school district has received financial recognition by the Illinois state board of education and I think that that approach gives us a little more cushion to make financial adjustments," says Flynn.

The district did make one major change tonight. Due to rising food costs the board of education voted to increase all meal prices by 25 cents. That's about $200 more per year for a family with four children.

District 145 teachers also receive nearly $27,000 in supplies through a private fund not calculated in the district's budget. The Freeport Community Public School Fund has given the district more than $650,000 since 1983.

(Chip Brewster is available via email AND facebook... feel free to shoot him a message or friend him at any time)