LAS VEGAS -- Staff layoffs and lower-quality instructors could be the side effects of a 4.5 percent education budget cut, state school officials said. Superintendents from across Nevada met with Gov. Jim Gibbons Thursday to discuss the proposed across-the-board cuts.

School officials said that if Gibbons goes through with the nearly $100 million education budget cut, the students would be put at risk and their educations would be affected.

Gibbons has asked all state agencies to submit a plan reflecting the 4.5 percent cut last month. He said the cuts would be used to compensate for the projected $440 million revenue shortfall.

Clark County Superintendent Walt Rulffes said Gibbons request comes at a horrible time, since schools are halfway through the current academic year and have spent approximately half of their current budgets. His opinion mirrored the rest of the state -- saying if forced to cut, the students would be affected.

"The portion that's been identified for K to12 education is $96 million," Rulffes said. "While I can't say we would have layoffs, in our case, we would reduce jobs not fill positions that we have budgeted already."

The county is still operating with hundreds of substitutes due to lack of teachers. School recruiting officials said that for now they're being very careful when hiring because they don't want to hire then have to fire these new instructors.

Rulffes said hopefully, Gibbons will hold another series of meetings in January before a decision is made.