NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Metro schools asked Mayor Karl Dean for more money at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Related: 4 Discussion: School Budget Proposal? | Video

There were a lot of questions raised about the school district at the meeting. But most of the time was spent by the school board and the acting director of schools presenting the almost $614 million budget proposal.

The proposed amount is up by about $16 million from last year and would keep the schools running as they are now. The school board also presented a list of needs and wants.

“We agreed science and math, special education and ELL (English language learning) would be our key areas,” said interim schools Director Chris Henson.

The school system is the only department that is not being asked to trim its budget, but its list of requests tallied $13 million.

It included almost $8 million for ELL, special education and other at-risk student groups, $900,000 for small learning academies within large high schools and $500,000 to help support teachers and principals.

An audit from the state showed the Metro school system has a lot of problems that need to be fixed, and the school system hopes money from the budget will help.

Many of the requests come in light of the audit’s findings. In the audit, the state reprimanded the district for not meeting state and federal testing standards and for not having good communication and support for staff.

If the situation doesn’t improve, the state can replace school board members and take control of day-to-day operations.

“It gives us a road map of what we need to do,” said one board member.

While the mayor stressed the importance of funding for schools so they can continue to improve, he wants to ensure funds are being put to their best use. There are 20 schools at less than 70 percent capacity, which could be addressed in the next budget year.

“We need to show that we can manage our resources, our existing resources, in the most efficient way possible,” Dean said.

Dean also asked the board to continue its work on a plan to improve safety on school buses. He pointed specifically at special education school buses, because now there are only 15 monitors for more than 200 special education buses.

Dean also complimented the district on several achievements including the planning and design of Cane Ridge High School that will open next year.

4 Discussion: School Budget Proposal?