Faced with an estimated $408 million budget deficit in the coming school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday will consider authorizing layoff-warning notices for more than 5,000 employees, including more than 4,000 teachers.

The notices don't necessarily mean all of the employees will lose their jobs for the 2011-12 school year, but the district by law must notify workers that their 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. "In planning for the worst-case scenario, we will be noticing many employees that their jobs may not be available next year. The total number of employees that will receive notices is a function of our worst-case scenario planning and other changes affecting our budget, such as declining enrollment and the ending of federal stimulus funding."

According to the district, most of the affected employees would receive notices no later than March 15. A