Gov. Linda Lingle is proposing to cut the state Department of Education's budget by slightly more than $40 million a year for the next two years, according to her executive budget sent to the state Legislature today.

The cuts include eliminating about 239 positions that are mostly concentrated in state and complex area offices.

In October, the state Board of Education submitted a $45.6 million budget reduction plan to the governor.

They submitted the cuts as part of a request from the governor that all state agencies come up with 10 percent, 15 percent and 20 percent budget-cut scenarios for their 2009-11 discretionary budget.

Lingle said today that she largely accepted the budget cut recommendation submitted by the BOE.