LA schools consider 5,000 job cuts over 2 years 12/11/09

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles school board is considering a budget plan that calls for more than 5,000 job cuts over the next two years.

District Superintendent Ramon Cortines is slated to present the board with various proposals on Tuesday to deal with a projected budget deficit of $1.2 billion for the next two school years.

Projected layoffs would include almost 1,400 teachers, which would boost average class sizes to 29 from 24 students.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, laid off some 2,000 teachers this academic year.