The Austin Public Schools Board approved an amended budget Monday night, which marks its third year of being in a $1.1 million deficit.

“For the third consecutive year we’re projecting the deficit budget, we’re looking at in the unassigned column about a $1.1 to $1.2 million deficit budget,” Finance and Operations Director Mark Stotts said to the board. “That was planned as we all know, when we opened I.J. Holton we had built up quite a bit of fund balance and we were going to spend that down as I.J. Holton came into existence.”

Stotts explained the plan is to balance the budget next year. Though no cuts were recommended, the finance committee recommended holding staffing levels at the current levels unless enrollment were to drastically increase, which is not projected.

“So going forward we’re hoping that by holding positions where they’re at this year that we can bring things into balance,” he said.

The rest of the budget did not change much, according to Stotts. Revenues and expenditures both went up slightly from the original budget.

The board also recognized the new principal for I.J. Holton Intermediate School, Angi McAndrews, who will start July 1.