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CONWAY — The Conway School District School Board voted unanimously Monday to cut $86,000 from its budget for the coming school year.

Among the cuts are district-subsidized child care, field trips, swimming lessons and locally funded occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. The district’s total projected budget for the 2008-09 school year is $4.5 million.

Conway is one of many districts that have had to slash expenses this year. School districts, large and small, have been touched by the Legislature’s unfunded mandate of increasing the cost-of-living pay for teachers and classified staff. The state paid some, but not all, of the increased costs.

Conway District Superintendent Wayne Robertson is also cutting 10 days from his schedule and nearly $4,000 of his salary. Robertson will work 150 days of the 2008-09 school year.

Board member Thom Sicklesteel said small districts like Conway are at a disadvantage. Every district needs school counselors, a librarian, custodians and secretaries, he said.

“Anyone involved in those programs is at risk,” Sicklesteel said. “Every single one.”

For Conway, the cost-of-living adjustments will cost the district $61,000, according to data sent in April from the Northwest Educational Service District 189.

Fuel and food costs continue to rise, and Conway officials expect to spend $30,000 for fuel next school year — $6,000 more than last year.

Robertson said Conway could expect 400 students in the coming school year. The district had 437 students during the October 2006 student count, according to the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Meawhile, the district also cut a portion of a science and literacy teacher’s position, $26,856 including benefits.

School Board President Diane Robertson said she expects this is the first of many years of cuts.

“It seems like, somewhere, it’s got to blow,” she said.

The district is also changing how it records special education expenses. In a memo Robertson sent to the School Board, he said the district spent $394,770 on special education for 54 students last year. This coming school year, Robertson estimated the cost at $447,104 for 37 students.

The disparity is because during the 2007-08 school year, the district billed some special education services to basic education or other accounts, the memo states.

* Kate Martin can be reached at 360-416-2145 or at kmartin @skagitvalleyherald.com.