RIPON – Trustees of the Ripon Unified School District will meet Monday for a special meeting to discuss the budget.

During the 6 p.m. open session, they’ll conduct a public hearing on the 2011-12 school year budget plus the state categorical funding and implementing flexibility.

The latter applies to the transfer of state funds for the purpose of ensuring that the district’s goal for student learning will be “at the forefront of the use of this flexibility,” according to the resolution.

Trustees, under new business, will consider adopting the budget with a positive certification.

In order to balance the budget, district officials made some tough decisions in recent months, including a class configuration plan. That means, for example, there will be no fourth grade classes at Ripon Elementary and Weston schools. Also included are several full-time teaching position layoffs and doing away with class size reduction in the kindergarten- through third- grade classroom.

In closed session, the school board will meet with Superintendent Louise (Nan) Johnson to discuss the possibility of litigation, negotiation, and employee discipline, dismissal, release, employment, and evaluation.

The special session will take place at the district office conference room, 304 N. Acacia Ave.

For more information, call RUSD at 209-599-2131 or log on to www.riponusd.net.