Mr. Levy said it was not intended for unlicensed teachers who are seeking certification.

But state law will forbid the hiring of unlicensed teachers beginning in 2003.

Moreover, the Education Department has proposed shortening the time it allows unlicensed teachers to work in a classroom before fulfilling their license requirements.

Any layoffs, board officials have said, would come from the pool of unlicensed teachers.

He acknowledged that the number was probably low since a number of unlicensed teachers are teaching bilingual classes.

As recently as Friday board officials predicted that perhaps 1,000 unlicensed teachers might have to be laid off to close the budget gap.

Out of desperation, he hired nearly 600 unlicensed teachers to work in those schools last fall.

Under state law, those teachers and other unlicensed teachers throughout the system have up to six years to get certified.

The 846 included 563 unlicensed teachers, who hold college degrees but who are completing testing and course requirements for state certification, usually within four years.

Any shortfall, officials predicted, would come in traditional "shortage areas" like math, science and bilingual special education, the subjects most of the unlicensed teachers teach.