Textbooks and staff computer purchases are the latest additions to the 2006-07 budget.

The Bismarck School Board approved those purchases and other additions at its regular meeting Monday night.

The requests were part of budget requests the board heard during budget presentations two weeks ago. The board also approved a part-time music teacher, a teacher to implement the new literacy program and light replacement at Miller Elementary School, for $1,475,425 in new budget spending.

The textbooks would cost $724,525, although the cost could be spread over two fiscal years. The staff computers would cost $617,400; the part-time music teacher, $13,500; the literacy implementation teacher, $60,000; and the light replacement, $60,000.

The board approved an additional elementary principal position and 4.68 secondary school teaching positions. The new principal would cost $90,000, and the 4.68 secondary teaching positions, $210,000.

While the district is asking to fund 4.68 teaching positions, it does not mean four full-time and one part-time teaching contract would be issued. The district would hire teachers where there is a need for a full-time teacher, and then other full-time teachers could be offered contract extensions. A contract extension pays teachers for teaching more sections than the number of sections that qualifies as full time.

The district's projected revenues, expenditures and budget reductions has not changed since the budget presentations, Superintendent Paul Johnson said. With property valuation increasing 13 percent, the district is working on an estimated $2.5 million more in revenue for 2006-07. The revenue projections do not include any possible mill reductions, business manager Ed Gerhardt said.

The administration will continue presenting a more refined budget to the board until the final budget.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)