A state budget crisis has the San Diego Unified School District tightening its belt another notch this year. Impacts for elementary schools with lower enrollment include the possibility of shuttering or reconfiguring smaller schools, school officials said. Because schools with declining enrollment increasingly cost more to operate, the district now looks to smaller schools for possible midyear savings. Two fledgling elementary magnet schools, Crown Point Elementary in Pacific Beach and Barnard Elementary in Point Loma, made the list of 17 schools being looked at by the district’s Small School Committee for ways to save money. School officials, however, are quick to address rumors of impending school closures. “We don’t know what the [state budget] cuts will be at this point,” said Bernie Rhinerson, SDUSD chief district relations officer. “[School closures] is not imminent and it’s one of many options the school board would have to look at.” Clairemont’s Cadman, Point Loma’s Cabrillo and Pacific Beach’s Bayview Terrace elementary schools are also on the list of campuses being considered. The schools all have fewer than 400 students enrolled. The Small School Committee meets to discuss how to more efficiently use facilities. It has seven members appointed by the district superintendent, with a member representing each SDUSD board member. The committee is expected to deliver its recommendations early next year for the superintendent and school board to consider. The committee met Monday, Nov. 17 and will meet again Monday, Dec. 1 at Eugene Brucker Education Center, 4100 Normal St. The financial pain stems from about $2 billion in proposed statewide reductions to K-12 schools. That equates to about $20 million to $40 million less to San Diego school coffers, Rhinerson said. This is on top of $50 million slashed from school budgets just a few months ago. California lawmakers are expected to settle the state’s budget before Thanksgiving. School officials would then have a better idea of what to expect — and potentially where to cut or consolidate — next year, Rhinerson said. Elementary school enrollment decreased by more than half at some schools compared to the 2000-2001 attendance numbers, according to school officials. Barnard just launched a Mandarin language magnet program this year in an effort to attract students. Crown Point also recently added a much-lauded and recognized violin magnet program. The budding magnet schools could feel the pinch but could stave off the worst by attracting more students, officials said. Crown Point Elementary principal Barbara Boone said enrollment in her school doubled in the last year. The school has about 280 students — up more than 100 pupils from last year. Attracting more students to Crown Point would take it off the list of schools with fewer than 400 students, she said. “I’m not panicked in any way, shape or form,” Boone said. Cabrillo Elementary principal Nestor Suarez said his K-4 school has about 220 students and serves many children with parents serving in the Navy. He’s also been working an educational program designed to increase enrollment. Suarez said enrollment has “remained steady” over recent years. Records show enrollment at Cabrillo has fluctuated between 200 and 216 students since 2005. “Everything right now is still very much tentative but the very fact that this has come under discussion is something,” he said. “School closures [are] not something that has even been remotely discussed with me.” Edward Park, principal of Barnard Elementary, was unavailable for comment.