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Oak Creek — The first estimate from the Colorado Department of Education indicates the South Routt School Board could face cuts of about $221,000, a little more than 6 percent. At a meeting tonight, the board will take the first steps in preparing for the hit.

“I imagine that will be a hot topic,” Board President Tim Corrigan said.

Corrigan said the discussion item is the first step in setting priorities and making funding decisions.

“We realize the need to open up the conversation with the community as we deal with that kind of budget shortfall,” he said.

The projected budget cut is part of a statewide cut to educational funding.

Before that discussion, the board also will hold a work session from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss instruction, student achievement, educational philosophy and requests to the Education Fund Board.

District Business Manager Dina Murray said the Fund Board discussion would focus on what items the board wants to request first.

The Fund Board began accepting requests from the South Routt School District after Steamboat Springs voters elected to share the city’s half-cent sales tax for education with Hayden and South Routt schools.

At 7 p.m., the board will enter executive session to discuss the quarterly review of Superintendent Scott Mader before reconvening at 7:30 for the regular board meeting.

A curriculum consultant, hired with money from one of the first Fund Board requests by the district, will be a discussion item on tonight’s agenda during the regular meeting. The consultant was hired for 10 workdays to create common tests. Murray said the consultant has completed about half of that time, and the board will receive an update about the progress.