DENVER Denver Public Schools announced there will be a dramatically smaller corps of teachers' aides next year. Of 1500 classroom aides in DPS, about 600 have not met new requirements under the federal "No Child Left Behind" Act.

One school that would be affected is Bryant Webster Elementary which could lose five skilled longtime teachers aides next year.

The five aides don't have associates degrees and have yet to pass a required test. Regardless, the principal Pat Salazar said instruction will suffer if the positions are cut.

"It really helps kids that are having some difficulty move up in their achievement level, so yes I am worried," Salazar said.

DPS must trim more than $16 million from next year's budget and not replacing the aides who don't meet the federal standards is being considered as a way to save nearly $2.5 million.

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