LAUSD to Consider 5,000 Layoffs

Faced with an estimated $408 million budget deficit in the coming school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education on Tuesday will consider authorizing layoff-warning notices for more than 5,000 employees, including more than 4,000 teachers.

The notices don't necessarily mean all of the employees will lose their jobs for the 2011-12 school year, but the district by law must notify workers that their positions are in jeopardy.

"We must plan for the worst because it just might happen," Deputy Superintendent John Deasy wrote in a memo to the board and Superintendent Ramon Cortines. "
 
According to the district, most of the affected employees would receive notices no later than March 15. A separate notice would have to be sent by June 30 to notify employees if they would actually lose their jobs.

The board will consider authorizing warning letters to 3,109 permanent elementary teachers and 975 secondary/single-subject teachers, along with 456 permanent support-services personnel, including counselors, social workers and nurses. Three district staff attorneys would also receive notices.

The board will also consider sending layoff notices to 10 non-permanent elementary teachers and 391 non-permanent secondary/single-subject teachers, informing them they will lose their jobs effective June 30. Similar notices would be sent to 104 non-permanent support-services workers, including social workers, counselors, nurses and school psychologists.

Under the terms of a recent settlement of a lawsuit alleging that schools in low-income areas were disproportionately affected by layoffs, workers at 45 schools will be exempted from receiving such notices.

The exact number of layoffs will likely depend on whether voters back statewide budget-balancing measures Gov. Jerry Brown hopes to put before voters this summer. Negotiations with the various district employee unions could also affect the number layoffs.