Hutchinson Public Schools is seeking additional public input as it drafts a budget for the 2012-13 school year.

As a result, patrons will have the opportunity to provide suggestions for the budget both in person and electronically this winter and spring.

For the past several years, the district has gotten input on budget matters from a group of local business leaders. Those leaders will help the district with an expanded committee of local residents, staff, parents and students.

Beginning with a meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 30, the group will learn how the district budget is comprised and how the budgeting process will work. Participants also will learn what areas have faced cuts in years past and will revisit program cuts that were discussed but not made last year.

Time will also be spent discussing how budget decisions support or hinder attainment of the district’s strategic plan goals.

The meeting will be in the Professional Learning Center at Hutchinson High School. The PLC is a portion of the school’s former auditorium at 1401 North Severance.

“Our goal is to make our budget process as transparent as possible and to provide a means for all stakeholders to have input in the process,” Superintendent Shelly Kiblinger said.

There will be additional meetings for the group from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 5, March 19 and April 2. All the meetings will be in the Professional Learning Center at Hutchinson High School.

The public is invited to attend and listen to the discussion and watch the process.

Additionally, the district will take electronic feedback from the public. A budget comment line has been set up on (620) 615-4014. Patrons may leave comments on the line but are asked to leave a name and telephone number so that district staff may be able to call back and get additional feedback.

Feedback also may be provided by emailing the district at comment@usd308.com. A “budget suggestion box” also available on the district’s homepage at www.usd308.com.

Kansas K-12 school budgets go from July 1 of one year to June 30 of the next year. Because the way the district receives information from other entities that impact the budget, however, the final budget is normally not available to the Board until late July and is formalized in August.