The state Board of Education has postponed its July 1 special meeting to discuss Department of Education budget cuts in light of a scheduled court hearing the following day.

A Circuit Court judge will hold a hearing July 2 on challenges filed by labor unions to Gov. Linda Lingle's plan to furlough government workers. So the BOE has decided to hold off on budget deliberations pending the outcome of the cases, the board said in a news release.

The board last met Monday to discuss Lingle's directive to cut the Department of Education budget by an amount equivalent to three furlough days per month per worker, or an additional $270.3 million over the 2009-2011 biennium.

The board expects to announce after the July 2 court hearing when it will reconvene to address the public schools' budget.

As previously scheduled, the board's Committee on Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support will meet July 1.