Budget cuts are hitting a lot of companies and organizations given the current economy, and the Clark County School District is no exception.

District officials are in the process of trying to eliminate $120 million from its spending plan, which means that parents may have to foot the bill, officials said.

In January, Gov. Jim Gibbons said that all state departments must cut 4.5 percent of their operating budgets for the current fiscal year. Since that time, Gibbons has said the cuts could be as deep as 14 to 20 percent, and school district officials said they are trying to be prepared.

Some of the reductions have begun and the district said, no matter how you cut or eliminate funds, there are simply only no good choices.

Currently, district officials have eliminated $32 million from the central office by cutting positions and consultants. The next expense to be slashed could be a $9 million-district wide cut, which would include upping the radius for bus transportation from two to three miles, getting rid of a $200 supply card for teachers and having parents pay for athletics and performing arts equipment.

District officials are also considering taking $22 million from its reserve fund to help finance education. According to fiscal requirements, school officials are to have 2 percent in reserve. Taking the $22 million from that fund will drop it to 1 percent and could affect the district's bond ratings.

The last cut -- and what district officials call the most difficult -- is taking $57 million from schools. To ensure that they have the student's best interest in mind, district officials will hold meetings on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 with parents to get their ideas on what to cut from schools.

Officials said a large part of the $120 million could be removed by getting rid of the 45-minute-a-day teacher prep time, in which teachers grade papers or get classrooms ready when students are at gym class or music.

However, this prep time is part of the current contract with the teacher's union, which is valid through 2009.

For more information about the parents' meetings, visit the school district's Web site.