(West Harrison, Ind.) - Sunman-Dearborn Community Schools are planning a slightly bigger budget for the 2013 fiscal year.

The school board voted August 9 to advertise a $43.54 million budget for the 2013 fiscal year. The figure is up about $510,000 from this year’s budget.

Much of the increase comes in Sunman-Dearborn’s General Fund, which is up $803,000 from the current year. About $535,000 of that is due to the district’s implementation of full day kindergarten. All Indiana public schools are offering full-day kindergarten for the first time this school year, requiring the district to hire teachers for those classes.

The district’s debt service will decrease in 2013 by $214,137 to about $6.9 million.

The assessed valuation of all property in the school district is $970,000,000, up slightly from last year.

A full copy of the 2013 budget will be advertised in local newspapers. A public hearing on the budget is set for September 13, followed by possible adoption by the school board at their October 11 meeting.