ENCINITAS, Calif. — In a special budget meeting Tuesday night, the Encinitas Unified School District voted to keep its hotly contested yoga program, but it came down to a funding compromise.

For the past three years, the district’s yoga classes were funded by a grant from a private foundation. Now that the money has run out, it was up to the school district to come up with $800,000 to fund the program.

The council moved to compromise the health and wellness program, dropping the yoga funds to $416,000 and using the remaining $380,000 to pay for art, science, gardening and music. The council also approved cutting back yoga practices to one day a week.

Parents who oppose the yoga program spending rallied outside the district’s headquarters before the 5:30 p.m. meeting.

“It’s a complete waste of money… do it after school or before school, but lets make sure we spend money on the important things first,” said parent Anna Hysell.