NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Metro school board on Friday afternoon unanimously approved a $620 million spending plan for next year.

At the meeting, some board members voiced their reservations about layoffs.

"If we are getting rid of positions, then how can we justify bringing in new ones?" asked Metro school board member Gracie Porter.

With more than $15 million in cuts, the budget calls for cutting 209 positions, which would include laying off 66 custodians, 32 campus supervisors and 130 teaching positions.

"It's never fun to, you know, have to eliminate positions, but, unfortunately, those are the economic times we're in," said Metro school board member Steve Glover.

It is unclear how many teachers will be laid off. The plan is to eliminate most of the 130 jobs through attrition or by giving some teachers news roles.

"We're not just going to choose individuals that we just, you know, say, 'You no longer have a job.' But to understand that if those jobs are being eliminated, then it may mean not as many new teachers being hired for the coming year," said Porter.

When it comes to the custodial positions, it is unlikely any of those jobs will be spared.

"I'm very concerned, because I think clean schools lead to healthier children and better grades," said school board member Metro school board member Karen Johnson.

Teresa West, the head of Metro's Schools Service Employee Union, feels cutting custodians and campus supervisors is chipping way at a vital part of learning.

"In essence, it's still 96 families that will not have a job that have served Metro well," said West.

It is still not clear if stimulus money can be used to help the schools' financial problems. The budget will go before the mayor and council for final approval.

Reporter Jonathan Martin contributed to this story.

Schools Director To Restructure Central Office

Metro schools director Jesse Register said on Thursday he will eliminate 225 positions at the central office but hopes to redistribute many of the personnel to other parts of the system.

Register, who marked 100 days as director this week, said personnel cuts at the central office would free up $15 million to create new positions at schools.

Affected employees will be notified May 1. Cuts will come from every department, ranging from curriculum and instruction to federal programs.

At the same time, the district will post hundreds of new positions for specialized classroom teachers and math and literary coaches.

Register also plans to restructure teacher pay to include bonuses and offer higher salaries for teachers in hard-to-staff schools.

"There were people who were there doing their jobs everyday, working hard. They're good people. What I want to do is restructure those resources," said Register.

The more than 200 people who will lose their job at the central office can apply to become teachers, principals or one of the 147 teaching consultants that Register is adding at each school.

As part of his proposal, the schools director wants to reward high-performing teachers with bonus pay and offer larger salaries to those who sign up to work in challenging urban schools.

Both plans are controversial among teachers, who argue performance pay should not be tied to test scores and that some teaching positions shouldn't be treated as more valuable than others.

Register's proposal comes as Mayor Karl Dean has hired a Boston-based consulting firm to look at reforms to the school system. Dean may take control of the schools if test scores don't improve.

"The mayor is preparing for whatever may happen this summer," said the mayor's spokeswoman Janel Lacy. "He is a strong advocate for education reform. He is excited about what he's seen around the country and is going to push for those reforms here in Nashville no matter what happens."

A special meeting of the Nashville school board has been called for Friday to discuss budget issues. Currently, about 900 people work at the Metro Schools central office on Bransford Avenue.

Register said this restructuring is one of several big changes he plans to make right away. Details on his overall school reform plan will be announced next month.

All of the changes will take effect July 1.