If Governor Carcieri’s proposed cuts are approved by the General Assembly, this would mark the first time since the state’s banking crisis in the early 1990s that lawmakers slashed education aid in the middle of the year, say education officials.

In good years, education aid to cities and towns increases by 3 percent. Up to now, bad years meant “level funding” — receiving the same amount as the previous year even as salaries and energy costs rose.

But this year, Carcieri is proposing that state aid to local schools drop by about $60 million, from $690 million down to $630 million. The reduction would mean layoffs, larger class sizes and program cuts across the state’s 36 school districts, said Tim Duffy, executive director of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees.

“These midyear cuts will severely impact school districts’ mission in educating students,” Duffy said. Several districts are already in court over school financing issues, and Duffy said that number would likely rise as districts grapple with the cuts.

The governor proposes to eliminate $4.3 million the districts received from the expansion of weekend gambling at Twin River and $5.8 million for professional development. The cuts mean some districts would have to consider layoffs of support staff, such as teaching assistants and custodians, said Coventry Supt. Kenneth R. DiPietro, head of the Rhode Island School Superintendents’ Association.

Under the plan, Providence would not receive $9.45 million from the state for past construction costs, although that matter is being decided by the state’s auditor general.

The bulk of the education cuts — $40.7 million — would come from allowing districts to defer payments into the teacher retirement fund for the next six months. The money the districts would have paid will instead be cut from state education aid.

“People are nervous because we have been woefully underfunding pensions, and what we are doing is taking money from the future,” DiPietro said. When that money comes due, “It will cause headaches,” he said.

Education officials say they are also concerned that Carcieri’s proposal to cut off certain pension and retirement benefits to state workers by April 1 could spark a mass exodus of teachers and principals two months before the end of school.

Education Commissioner Peter McWalters said the last minute cuts underscore the need for all districts to reduce spending. Cities and towns can no longer keep up with escalating costs and are also restricted in raising property taxes through a law popularly called “3050.”

“No doubt about it, these cuts are hard to bear,” McWalters said. “Everyone will share the burden. What we need is everyone to come to the table to figure out ways to reduce spending.”

In addition to the cuts, the governor’s supplemental budget proposes several controversial changes to state law that could result in substantial savings, including:

•Adopting a statewide health plan all teachers would join, potentially saving $17 million.

•Mandating statewide school lunch and transportation programs, potentially saving between $5 million and $10 million.

•Eliminating bus monitors for elementary school buses, potentially saving $12.2 million.

•No longer requiring school nurses to be certified as teachers, potentially saving $2.6 million.

•Making strikes and work-to-rule illegal and instituting financial penalties for teachers who do strike.

•Giving school committees more control over teacher contracts.

•Changing the date dismissed teachers are notified from March 1 to June 1.

jjordan@projo.com