The Ypsilanti school board adopted an amendment at Monday’s meeting to reflect the budget submitted as part of its state-mandated deficit elimination plan.

The newest budget shows the deficit growing.

The budget approved on June 10 listed a $4,187,985 deficit, while the amended budget - which includes adjustments in expenditures and revenue that were submitted with the deficit elimination plan in December - is $4,991,601.

That's a difference of $803,616, which school officials say is mainly tied to state funding cuts and lower than expected enrollment.

David Houle, the district's chief financial officer, said the amendments are required under the Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act of 1980, mandating all the state’s public school systems adopt a resolution amending their earlier budget.

The district is required to submit a deficit elimination plan to the state for approval because of its negative fund balance. Houle said the Michigan Department of Education gave verbal approval of the amended budget, and he's expecting an official letter within the next several weeks.

“I think it’s a good move, and it’s another hurdle behind us as we try to move this district forward,” he said.

While the district made roughly $488,000 in expenditure reductions through support staff furloughs and a 3 percent wage decrease for all non-union affiliated staff, it also received lower than expected state revenue.

The district had planned for $27,019,797 in state revenue in the original budget and amended that figure to $25,815,181 - a difference of roughly $1.2 million.

Houle partly attributed that drop to the district expecting 50 more students than actually enrolled. But he added part of the problem lies in the $168 per pupil reduction from the state.

He said that figure could end up being higher, but the latest word from Lansing is the state won't make further reductions this school year.

“The governor recently chimed in that that’s something she’s not going not to do,” Houle said. “I’m hoping that’s true, because my fear is if we don’t take that money out now, next year we’re going to get double whacked.”

The amendment came two days before several board members and Superintendent Dedrick Martin traveled to Lansing for a conference and rally calling on the state to address school funding issues.

Houle, who started in his position in November, said the amendment further demonstrates the need for unpopular cuts the district is considering, including school closures. He said smaller, one-time cuts that don't address the district’s structural problems aren't substantive enough to pull it out of the red.

“The district has been on a course of losing money for five, six years now, and the problem keeps growing,” he said.

Tom Perkins is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.