MIAMI -- After a 14-hour meeting, the Miami-Dade County Public School Board passed an item that clears the way for hundreds of job cuts.

The school board meeting began at 1 p.m. Wednesday and lasted until about 3:45 Thursday morning.

Superintendent Dr. Rudy Crew's proposal called for the elimination of more than 500 jobs, NBC6's Steve Litz reported. The job cuts that were passed include 259 central office positions, 75 physical education teachers, 30 teacher's assistants and 28 assistant principals. The board chose to save the jobs of 114 transportation workers.

Board member Dr. Marta Perez offered an item to reduce the salaries of some of the district's highest-paid administrators, including Crew. Board member Ana Rivas Logan supported the item.

"Let the people who are in the trenches, doing the work, making the $8 an hour, know that we're standing in the trenches with them, that we're all willing to take the cut," Logan said.

District administrator Eric Parker spoke on behalf of his fellow employees.

"The true net effect of cost savings that you may have as a result of this item would not make a dent in terms of the $284 million deficit that you have," Parker said.

The item to reduce the salaries failed.

The cost of eating lunch at schools in the district was increased by 50 cents. At elementary schools, students can buy lunch for $2.25. At middle and high schools, the cost is $2.50.