Faced with a massive budget deficit and potential takeover by the county, the LAUSD board will be asked Tuesday to send layoff notices to 7,000 educators and support staff.

The notices don't necessarily mean all those employees will lose their jobs in the 2011-12 school year, but the district by law must notify workers whose positions are in jeopardy.

"We must plan for the worst because it just might happen," Deputy Superintendent John Deasy wrote in a memo to the board and Superintendent Ramon Cortines.

The layoff warnings will be sent to 4,000 educators, and 1,000 cafeteria workers and janitors, officials said, to