SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Unified School District might need to find $30-40 million in additional savings, if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest deficit projection proves accurate, a district consultant said Tuesday.

Any more savings would be in addition to $72 million already cut from the school district's spending plan for fiscal 2008-09.

The governor, speaking Monday, said declining revenues could push California's budget gap to $20 billion -- roughly double a projection released in January.

The Board of Education notified about 700 teachers and 1,200 classified employees that they could be laid off.

At budget workshop today, board President Katherine Nakamura said governor's disclosure about the growing deficit "very surprising."

Rick Knott, a consultant who previously worked for the district, told board members it was unclear how the latest deficit projections would shake out.

The state is set to release a more specific forecast on May 14, which will enable SDUSD staffers to determine if more cuts will be need, Knott said.

Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier told board members they were hearing "worst-case scenarios."

To cut transportation costs, the school board is planning on redoing schedules at schools with fewer than 300 students. The district also wants to lower the ratio of vice-principals to students.

If more cuts are needed, the "options have narrowed," Knott said.

The board could dip into the district's 2 percent reserve, cut back on services, accelerate school closings, cut utility bills by reducing usage and further reducing staffing, or reducing or eliminating extracurricular activities, according to district staffers.

Board member Luis Acle suggested teachers might have to accept a pay cut to head off more layoffs. John DeBeck, a board member who has suggested a parcel tax to increase revenues locally, said there might have to be an increase in class sizes.

Knott said general fund spending for the current fiscal year is about $1.2 billion. The projected budget for next year, which should be approved by the end of June, is about $1.1 billion.

Since the Legislature is unlikely to finalize a budget until late this summer, Knott said it might be September before district officials how much money they will be getting.