The Austin school board will meet for their regular special session Monday to vote on the upcoming budget for the district.

The budget will cover items such as allocations for field trips, food and equipment for various programs in the public school system.

Educational Services Director Sheila Berger will be giving a report on the new Minnesota academic standards, which are aligned with the federal No Child Left Behind policy. The new standards have already led to a change in focus at public schools, with more emphasis for reading and math next year at all grade levels.

Ellis Principal Candace Raskin will request the boards approval of a new drug resistance curriculum called Project Alert. The program will be taught to sixth, seventh and eighth graders and uses role playing to put kids in situations similar to peer-pressure situations faced in life. Also, the program provides a follow-up for eighth graders to reinforce material learned over the previous years.

Raskin has said she thinks the program will be more effective than the previous one, D.A.R.E., which was eliminated in May.

Toward the end of the meeting, the board will enter into closed session to discuss contract negotiations.

The meeting will be at 5 p.m. in conference room #1630 at the District Administration Offices.

Matt Merritt can be reached at 434-2214 or by email at matt.merritt@austindailyherald.com