FONTANA - Facing an expected $15 million shortfall next year, the Fontana Unified School District Board of Education agreed Monday night to cut 380 jobs.

The trustees voted 5-0 to approve a resolution to issue preliminary layoff notices. The board also approved a tie-breaking rating system to determine the order of termination in the event of equal qualifications.

Among the positions cut were 235 multiple-subject elementary school teachers, a result of the district eliminating parts of its class-size reduction program, and eight of the 18 nurses.

Assistant principals at the elementary, middle school and high schools, along with reading coaches, science enrichment and physical education teachers, also will receive notices.

Last week's board meeting included a rally and a packed house, expressing frustration with the lack of a state budget. The special meeting Monday had far fewer attendees and a more somber tone in the wake of the long-awaited budget California lawmakers passed late last week.

Veteran teacher Nancy Hofrock urged the board to consider what else could be cut besides teachers. She suggested shelving the district's teacher assessment program or looking at closing the print shop.

"We need to get back to good, solid teaching without all of the luxuries we've grown accustomed to," Hofrock said.

Issuing preliminary layoff notices by the March 15 legal deadline does not necessarily mean those jobs will be permanently lost. Permanent layoff notices must be issued by May 15.

Last year, 10,531 teachers statewide received layoff notices, and 4,482 were laid off, said Bill Guy, a California Teachers Association spokesman.

But Superintendent Cali Olsen-Binks made it clear that things are different this time around.

The state budget is the worst-case scenario, and there are no plans to make any changes to it in May, Olsen-Binks said.

The district will start notifying teachers, hand-delivering most notices, on Wednesday and Thursday, she said.

Reach Melanie C. Johnson at 951-368-9489 or mjohnson@PE.com