The plan calls for cutting more than 1,200 jobs from the central staff.

"They are really trying to develop ways to meet the needs of every single child," she said of the school system's central staff.

A hiring freeze has been imposed on the central staff.

He said much of the central staff he had hired worked for individual members and committee leaders.

He has already reduced the central staff to 4,139, a decrease of 2,169 from February 1994.

Officials said that over the past two years, the Council has trimmed 38 positions from its central staff, resulting in a cut of 12 percent.

The Council now has a central staff of 179 professional and clerical employees.

Excluding the officers, the reduction in central staff would be closer to 3 percent, he said.

The majority of students went on to joint, central staff or international appointments.

Eventually, he plans to pare the central staff from 5,200 to 4,600.