(file photo)

After a brief public hearing, the Hutchinson School Board Monday approved a republished budget.

The board’s action allows the district to take advantage of a maximum budget that is more than $1.2 million higher than the budget adopted in August 2011. The increased maximum budget resulted from the district having increased enrollment and high weightings of some of those students.

Both the number of students enrolled and how the individual weighting factors for those students can increase or decrease the district’s budget. The weighting factors, such as vocational or at-risk, account for additional costs involved in educating certain students.

Also during Monday’s meeting, the board focused on learning and innovation skills as part of a review of district policy. The learning and innovation skills are critical for success in the 21st century as students move increasing from traditional lifetime careers to something known as “giganomics” – the move toward a more flexible and skills-based workforce.

As part of the review, the bard looked at data from 2011-12 in writing, the percent of students taking honors or International Baccalaureate Programme courses at Hutchinson High School and the percentage of Hutchinson Middle School students taking honors courses.