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In addition to voting for beginning the process of closing four elementary schools, the TUSD Governing Board has approved cuts to counselor and librarian positions as well as increasing class sizes.

Opposition on all issues came from school board members Adelita Grijalva and Judy Burns, while Bruce Burke, Joel Ireland and board President Alex Rodriguez voted yes on the cost-saving measures Tuesday night as a way to close in on the district's projected deficit of $15 million for the 2008-2009 year.

TUSD has initiated the process of closing four elementary schools — Wrightstown, Rogers, Corbett and Ochoa. If that does occur, the district hopes to save up to $4 million.

As it stands now, elementary schools with fewer than 600 students have one half-time counselor, while those with 600 or more have a full-time counselor.

Those with fewer than 450 students have one half-time librarian; those with more than 450 have a full-time librarian.

The cost for those positions is $4.8 million.

Under the new plan, which would go into effect next school year, the cost is reduced to $3.2 million by forcing schools with less than 350 students to choose a half-time librarian or half-time counselor.

Schools with 350 to 750 students will choose a full-time librarian, a full-time counselor or a half-time one of each.

"I have a problem with removing librarians or counselors from elementary or middle schools," Grijalva said. "I cannot support that."

She noted all the services provided by counselors, such as intervention with bullying, peer pressure and other personal problems.

Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer responded by saying that schools could use other funds available to them, but said, "We have to make hard choices on the reality of what we have.

"We don't have the financial resources to have it all. It's a luxury to have it all," he continued.

The board also approved a plan to increase class sizes for some kindergartners and all first-graders.

Currently, both grade levels have a ratio of 18 students to one teacher. The board adopted a plan that would allow under-performing schools to remain at that ratio for kindergarten next school year. But the remaining kindergarten classes and all first-graders across the district would be bumped up to 24-to-1.

There is a possibility that all kindergarten classes across the district could stay at 18-to-1 regardless of priority status if additional funds are found by late March or early April, the board said.