Editor's note: Tonight's public hearing begins at 7:30 p.m. The time has been corrected in the online version of this story.

ROCKY MOUNT -- The Franklin County School Board will head into a public hearing tonight still unclear about its budget situation.

The board met Monday night to discuss options for dealing with the potential $6 million budget shortfall it faces.

Though the General Assembly agreed on a two-year budget Sunday, School Superintendent Charles Lackey said school officials won't know how that will directly affect Franklin County until later this week.

While everything is still up in the air, the board will move forward with a plan to cut $2.4 million and ask the Franklin County Board of Supervisors for $2.1 million and the flexibility to spend carryover funds wherever they're needed, Lackey said.

The school board approached the board of supervisors on March 3, asking for money from its reserve fund and the spending flexibility. Before the school board are four options that range from $2.4 million to $4.6 million in cuts, depending on how much financial support the supervisors are willing to provide.

Program cuts under the first option include eliminating rental of the YMCA for eighth-grade physical education, cutting the strings music program and reductions in governor's school, band courses and after-school sports.

Right now, the school board is focusing on that option, the least harmful to the school district, Lackey said. About $2.4 million still would need to be cut, which could be done through cutting programs and laying off 23 teachers and other school division employees.

"The only ones that can make the difference now are the supervisors," Lackey said. He said he is not sure when the supervisors will advise the school board of how much, if any, they're willing to increase their share in the school budget.

Last year, the county provided more than $31 million to the school budget.

School board member Ed Jamison said he'd like to see some other cuts in Option 1 that would save some of the programs. Instead of looking for program cuts, Jamison suggested a pay cut for all school employees. A 1 percent cut would net about $500,000, he said.

Solid projections and estimates will be presented Monday when the board votes on the proposed budget, Lackey said. By law, the school board has to adopt a budget by April 1.

Tonight's public hearing will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Benjamin Franklin Middle School East auditorium.