Superintendent Neil Pedersen told board members the district took $700,000 out of the budget last year and has already cut $1.2 million from this budget without eliminating anyone's job.

But, he said, "There's limits to how much nonpersonnel we can cut out."

Both school boards in Orange County are finishing their budgets now that the county commissioners have approved the county budget. The county allots money to both school systems on a per-pupil basis. This year, the county increased per-pupil funding by $112 to $3,069 per pupil. The commissioners also increased the special district tax levied to support the city schools by 1.5 cents per $100 valuation, and increased the fair funding amount by $94,000 to $494,000 for both districts.

That means the city school district's total revenue increase will be almost $3.9 million. The school board had asked the county for about $7.4 million.

Pedersen proposed Thursday that the board add additional programs and services totaling almost $5.2 million, which required the school board to reduce expenditures by about $1.3 million.

He proposed they do that by reducing photocopying, transportation and telephone budgets, among other things.

Then Pedersen provided lists of potential programs the school board could add back into the budget as long as it balances the additions with further cuts.

The board considered adding a security guard position at each high school for late afternoon, a coordinator for exceptional children's programs, and a day treatment social worker and tutor for students with mental health issues.

The list of further cuts includes reducing school clerical staff, gifted education specialist and day custodial positions.

The board agreed to spend more time on the potential cuts and additions at its meeting next Thursday.

"You can't help but put some faces with some of the things going on here," said school board member Elizabeth Carter, who was reluctant to cut positions.