OCEANSIDE, Calif. -- The Oceanside Unified School District was reported Wednesday to be eliminating nearly 120 teaching positions to help offset a huge deficit projected for 2010-11.

District trustees approved the elimination of 117 teaching positions Tuesday as part of $19 million in cuts, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Like most district across the state, Oceanside Unified's fiscal health has been adversely affected by state budget cuts. Oceanside has also lost state revenue because of declining enrollment, the Union-Tribune reported.

Numerous teachers urged the school board to look for alternatives to laying off so many teachers but district officials said there was no way to avoid the cuts, according to the newspaper.