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BONITA SPRINGS — Lee County School District Superintendent James Browder knew better than to think the budget Gov. Charlie Crist approved in June was set in stone. He didn’t expect to get the money it promised his students and staff.

“Not at all. You know what’s going on in the economy,” Browder said when asked if a reduction to that budget was unexpected. “Nothing surprises me at this point in where we are in regards to the economy with the state or the nation.”

Thankfully for Browder, any temptation to believe the state’s budget was based on revenue legislators actually expected to raise in state sales tax was whisked away a day after Gov. Crist signed his name. Within 24 hours, Gov. Crist sent all state agencies a memo. It told the agencies to hold back 4 percent of their budgets. The Lee County School District’s share, according to the Florida Department of Education, was supposed to be about 2 percent of the district’s operating budget, or $15 million.

But Browder and his staff didn’t expect that to be the case, either. On Tuesday, he told the School Board the situation is worse. It had always been assumed the “hold back” would turn into a cut, but now Browder expected the cut would be larger. About 1.5 percent larger. If the district’s operating budget doesn’t shrink, that 3.5 percent cut would be about $21 million in reduced funding than the legislators’ budget originally contained.

“It looks like we will suffer another budget reduction mid-year,” Browder told the board before describing the cut. “It came out through the governor’s office.”

The cut, which is expected to occur before the district goes to winter break in December, would be very similar to a hold-back-turned-cut of $10 million the district experienced last year. That cut came on top of a $16 million loss last year due to students leaving the district and taking state funding with them. Last year also saw an additional $6 million cut, which was also due to lower-than expected state revenue.

This year, the district has already reduced or cut dozens of programs, nearly 600 jobs and about $80 million as part of its budget process. Since the budget was passed earlier this month, the district’s enrollment figures have dwindled. Browder fears 75 certified teachers will be let go in a worst-case scenario of coming in 3,500 students below a state enrollment estimate. That’s about $17.5 million worth of state funding. And now this.

Didn’t the legislators say there weren’t going to be any cuts?

“As I listen to superintendents across the state they are all extremely concerned ... we were all told that education was going to be held harmless,” Browder said. “Public education has been reduced 14 percent.”

Browder couldn’t say how the larger cut would affect the district. He also wasn’t sure if it would end up being 3.5 percent of the district’s budget. He’s heard several estimates.

“There is no set amount,” Browder said. “I wasn’t given ‘this is what you have to reduce.’”

As a result of the possibly increased cut, Board Member Bob Chilmonik renewed a call for his fellow board members to hold a meeting to discuss how Browder should go about reducing spending when such cuts occur. Such a meeting would be the first the board has held since one year ago, when the cuts started.

“Anyone?” Chilmonik asked, looking for support from the board members for the meeting. There was no response.

In other business, the board approved the 2008-09 school year graduation ceremony schedule. Estero High School will hold its ceremony June 6 in Germain Arena at 2 p.m. The South Fort Myers High School ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. on the same day and location. For a full high school graduation ceremony, visit http://www.leeschools.net.

For the second year in a row, the ceremonies will be held in one weekend, as opposed to two weeks. Browder said the schedule saves the district $50,000. School Board Chairwoman Jeanne Dozier said the savings are welcome.

“We need to be as fiscally responsible as possible when it comes to students and families,” Dozier said. The ceremony schedule was approved unanimously.

The board also approved the charter for the new Bonita Springs charter school, the Bonita Springs Preparatory and Fitness Academy. The school will be near the intersection of East Terry Street and U.S. 41 and combine physical exercise training with a regular academic program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The charter was approved unanimously.

Also approved unanimously was the board’s new travel policy, which puts into place a rule the board agreed to. Mainly, that they would not bill the district for miles driven to and from the board room.

Dozier said the board would continue a discussion over reducing its own expense account at a future planning meeting.