POWAY -- More than 300 teachers may be laid off in the Poway Unified School District to cover a projected $22.5 million deficit over the next 17 months.

Trustees in the district agreed at a meeting Monday to reduce its teaching staff by 314 full-time positions, and layoff notices will be sent this week in accordance with a state law that requires teachers to be notified by March 15 if they may be laid off.

Future budget revisions and other adjustments between now and the start of the next school year may make the layoffs unnecessary. The district sent layoff notices to 187 teachers at this time last year, but 110 of them were told they would keep their jobs two months later.

Layoff notices will be sent to employees in 314 full-time teaching positions. Also receiving layoff notices will be teachers in 20 nonclassroom positions, counselors in 21 positions and administrators in 45 positions.

About 200 teachers held a candlelight vigil before Monday's meeting.

Board President Andy Patapow said that while the budget outlook is grim, the projected number of layoffs may be greater than ultimately necessary.

"We're trying to be prepared for the worst-case scenario," he said. "And right now we don't see anything getting better."

Patapow said the Poway district is facing the same frustration as many other districts adjusting their budgets after the state did midyear cuts that reduced education funding.

"It's bad all over," he said. "And I can't understand the legislators and where they rank the education of children. Right now we're ranked 47th. With these budget cuts, we're going to be back to 48th. We're losing ground."

The layoffs approved by trustees include 140 full-time elementary classroom positions. The staff reduction would mean an increase in class sizes from 20 to 24 students per classroom in kindergarten and first grade, and from 20 to 30 students in second- and third-grade classes.

In a message to parents posted on the district Web site, Superintendent Donald Phillips wrote that layoffs may be necessary because the bulk of the budget is in staffing.

"Like most school districts, approximately 85 percent of our budget of approximately $250 million is allocated for staffing to meet the educational needs of our students -- your children," he wrote. "Also, like most other school districts, we are facing unprecedented reductions in our funding, which will result in staff and program losses."

The projected deficit includes a $10 million shortfall this year and a projected $12.5 million shortfall next year.

Poway Unified, which employs about 1,700 teachers, had an operating budget of about $261.3 million last year. In the 2006-07 school year, the district's budget was $265.2 million.

Among the uncertainties that could bring the district more money is the federal stimulus plan, but Phillips and Patapow said they were not confident the district could count on the money.

"It has to go through Sacramento, and by the time it gets to us, we don't know what we'll receive," Patapow said.

Phillips also wrote that the stimulus money would not be a long-term solution for California schools.

"What we do know is that these are one-time dollars, and any funding received will need to be spread over multiple years to help us weather this major economic downturn," he wrote.

Contact staff writer Gary Warth at (760) 740-5410 or gwarth@nctimes.com.