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Silence filled the room of Prior Lake-Savage school board members when Chairwoman Lee Shimek asked, one more time, how much more money per pupil did they think voters would approve come November.

For more information The Prior Lake-Savage School Board plans to further discuss its options for November's ballot at its two June meetings. The meetings are at 7 p.m. on June 9 and June 23 at the District Services Center, 4540 Tower St., Prior Lake.

After three hours of careful debate, with memories of a trouncing from last fall fresh in their minds, the board members didn't know what to say.

"Well, how about $250?" Shimek suggested, throwing her hands in the air. "I'll just throw that out there."

In the end, that was the number they all agreed to.

The board decided at a workshop on Monday that it will likely ask voters three ballot questions in November: Whether to renew extra operating money the district already receives; whether to open a completed but empty new elementary school that they couldn't afford to open for 2008-09, and whethr to provide a little extra operating money for more teachers.

Discussions Monday night showed that, even with survey data on voters' opinions in hand, the final decision is a kind of stab in the dark.

Last year, the decision was easier. The district added up what it needed, put a price tag on it and put it on the ballot. But the requests for extra operating money ($4.6 million a year for 10 years) and to build a $28.9 million high school addition were defeated by 60 percent of voters.

"Rather than figure out what we need, 'cause that didn't work," Shimek said, "we'll need to figure out what they'll support and how we'll make that work."

A big part of the debate Monday focused on the psychology of how many levy questions the board should put on an already jam-packed presidential election ballot.

Should the board keep it simple, and just ask one question that includes renewing the current funds it receives and opening the elementary school?

No, the board decided. Too risky. The district receives $7 million annually in extra operating funds, and if the single question were defeated, the district would face considerable financial problems.

"I'm not a gambling gal when it comes to that many zeros," board member Diane Ziemann said. "I think it's a big risk."

On the other hand, if it's divided into two questions, the second one might just be a place for people who need to vote "no" on something to voice their displeasure, the board said.

The board eventually decided on three questions, asking voters to approve the renewal of its levies, the opening of Redtail Ridge Elementary school (about $210 per pupil) and a little extra (about $40 per pupil) to help hire teachers.

In another departure from last year's ballot requests, the board decided against asking for money to build a high school addition. The space constraints endure, the board decided, but it needed the levy money too much to risk asking for the high school money and having levy questions fail.

Even if there is no growth in the district, more students in lower grades ensure that high school enrollment will balloon to at least 2,400 by the 2011-2012 school year, up from a projected 2,100 for 2008-09. The school's capacity is about 2,000 students.

That doesn't mean the board knows what it will do about the space problems. A "growth task force" charged with evaluating the district's space constraints will recommend Monday that the district focus on passing the levy, but will not recommend what it should do about the crowded schools.

None of the board's decisions so far are permanent -- they will be discussed at two June school board meetings.

Emily Johns • 952-882-9056

http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/19550739.html