FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - As the clock was ticking, Indiana lawmakers were able to pass a new two-year spending plan.

Local education officials say while their funding increase in minimal, it is helpful. But, they'll still have to be cautious with spending.

The budget gives a 1.1 percent average annual increase to schools statewide in 2010 and 0.3 percent increase in 2011.

Officials with Fort Wayne Community Schools say they're pleased with the 1.5 percent increase next year and 1.1 percent increase in 20-11, but they still have concerns.

They say the budget doesn't cover they're growing expenses and could mean an increase in classroom sizes.

“This budget increase for us is better than the state average and we're pleased with that,” said Fort Wayne Community Schools Chief Financial Officer Kathy Friend. “But we still have to be cautious with our spending because expenses are still growing, and they're growing higher than the percentage increase that we're receiving.”

Fort Wayne Community Schools received the largest increase in funding when compared to other Allen County school districts.

East Allen County Schools will go up 0.7 percent in 2010 before dropping 0.5 percent in 2011; Southwest Allen County Schools will go up 0.1 percent each year; and Northwest Allen County Schools will go up 0.9 percent in 2010 and 0.2 percent in 2011.

Officials with Southwest Allen County Schools say the 0.1 percent increase is more than they anticipated receiving. They say no staff cuts are anticipated and classroom sizes are expected to remain the same.

School officials with East Allen County Schools and Northwest Allen County Schools could not be reached.

Earlier this year Fort Wayne Community Schools cut more than 100 teachers due to financial hardships.

FWCS School officials say they’re not sure if those teachers can be re-hired this school year. They say they'll begin crunching numbers and hopefully have answers by next week.

“But it (the funding) could have been much worse and we're pleased with how it turned out,” said Friend.

Both the House and the Senate agreed upon and passed the $27.8 billion budget that Governor Mitch Daniels says leaves the state in good fiscal shape, better shape then what was being proposed in the regular legislative session this past April.

The special session cost taxpayers an estimated $160,000.