Education officials said they are planning for "painful and severe" budget cuts totaling $9.2 million, following budget restrictions placed on state agencies by Gov. Linda Lingle.

A state Board of Education committee yesterday heard recommendations for areas within the education budget that could be trimmed.

From the elimination of various vacant administrative positions to the scaling back of the A-Plus after-school program, education officials recommended cuts that are in addition to the $10.2 million in budget cuts from this past legislative session.

In total, the DOE is facing nearly $20 million in budget reductions this year.

Education officials say their recommended cuts are not directly related to the delivery of core academics. Instead, officials said, they are targeting programs with the least impact on the classroom.

"It is very painful to have to go through this," state Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto told board members yesterday. "But we should look at this as an opportunity to examine how we are delivering our services."

Much of the budget reductions that are being considered include eliminating positions that have been vacant since July 1, 2007. The DOE is also recommending reducing budgets for various non-school-hour programs by $800,000, reducing athletic coach salaries by $1 million and cutting funding for the A-Plus after-school program by $667,000.

"We can no longer continue to provide services in the same way," said James Brese, DOE chief financial officer. "We must prioritize our resources."

Education officials had recommended cutting seven district-level Parent Community Network Coordinator positions. But board members voiced opposition to that.

"The kinds of activities that they are engaged in really affect learning on the school level. It really does," board member Mary Cochran said.

In early June, education officials said they planned to trim administrative costs to accommodate some $10 million in budget reductions imposed this past legislative session.

Lawmakers specifically cut from the portion of DOE's budget that funds student transportation, the A-Plus after-school program, school lunches and adult education.

To avoid raising fees for those services, education officials planned to absorb the cuts by imposing a hiring freeze.

Then on June 23, Lingle imposed a 4 percent budget restriction on all state departments, forcing the DOE to plan for an additional $9.2 million in cuts.

DOE officials now say it is possible that the department may pursue increases in fees to help offset some of the reductions. Specific fee increases were not discussed.

Brian Hallett, a budget analyst with the DOE, told school board members that he believe these cuts are only the beginning.

"In all likelihood, the department will face even more budget restrictions in the coming weeks," Hallett said.