SHERMAN, TX---After a year of financial turmoil, Sherman ISD has approved their budget for the 2009-2010 school year, but in order to balance the budget, the district had to make several changes.

The school board decided to increase lunch rates for students and faculty and that is raising some concerns for parents.

"That's not good, especially with our economy like this. We depend on a lot of help with the community we are in," said Rebecca Barrett, a Sherman ISD parent.

Lunch prices are expected to increase by about 15 cents. The school board says this will provide a $50,000 hike in local revenue. About 58% of SISD students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program, and will not have to pay the extra for lunch.

In addition the Sherman School board decided they will be eliminating and not replacing several school board positions.

Sherman Superintendent Dr. Al Hambrick went to the Texas Association of State School Board Conference and says that 120-150 school districts projected to start school year with budget deficits. Sherman ISD will not be starting the year that way, their budget is balanced.

"Getting to this point was difficult in the current economic times. I feel like our staff is working hard and this is a situation that we have worked through and we are going to move forward," said Dr. Hambrick.

“We had to look closely at our program areas and many areas that we budget each year. We considered our students and helped balance the budget."

Hambrick says these changes should keep SISD on budget for the rest of the year.