And if a smaller levy fails in November, Superintendent Karen Mantia said, the district will lose up to 40 more teachers, and the district will begin eliminating some classes, such as art, music and physical education. Bus transportation will also be cut back, and adult education will be eliminated.

Residents of the 5,700-student district got their first glimpse of proposed cuts Wednesday in a meeting with the Sycamore Board of Education. The announcement came just after school officials said they are considering reducing the required number of credits for graduation to 21.5 from 22.5. The minimum state standard for graduation is 20 credits.

The majority of cuts discussed Wednesday would go into effect with the 2005-06 budget. The school district has already cut 88 positions, including 47 teachers.

Mike Teets, a Spanish teacher at the junior high school, criticized district officials for failing to meet with the school union to discuss the cuts.

"Teachers are probably going to sacrifice a lot. The central office needs to do the same. When that happens, the residents will step up and pass the levy," Teets said.

School officials said some immediate cuts were necessary to reduce the levy amount for the upcoming election. If approved, the 5.5-mill five-year levy would raise $8.8 million annually. It would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $168 annually.

---

E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com