SAN DIEGO -- The rejection of Proposition J by local voters on Tuesday could spell doom for many San Diego schools.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed," said Amanda Hammond-Williams, principal at Birney Elementary School, a Magnet school in University Heights.

Hammond-Williams knows what could be coming now that Prop. J has been voted down. If approved, the parcel tax would have helped with a $141 million budget gap for the San Diego Unified School District.

"This size deficit … to make those cuts is going to be extremely painful," said San Diego Unified School District spokesman Bernie Rhinerson.

Rhinerson called the district's deficit the worst crisis in its history. After four years of shrinking state funds, the number of teachers in the district has already dropped from more than 8,000 to less than 7,300. Now, up to 1,000 more teachers could be laid off.

During the 2007-08 school year, the K-3 class size averaged 20 students. A year later, the size increased to 24 students, and next year, the number could climb to 29.

District officials said 10 schools could be shut down, kindergarten could go to half days, librarians and counselors could lose their jobs and school athletics may be eliminated. Music and arts programs seem likely to be cut as well.

Critics said SD Unified needed Prop. J money to pay for teacher raises.

"The teachers, between step-rate increases and pay increases, will get a 14 percent raise in pay," said Richard Rider of San Diego Tax Fighters.

Rhinerson said the raises simply restored furloughed pay cuts for teachers who are among the least-paid educators in San Diego County.

The first of several budget workshops for the district will be held Thursday night.