LAUSD Authorizes Layoff Warnings For Thousands Of Workers

Los Angeles - Faced with an estimated $408 million budget deficit in the coming school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education today authorized 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. "In planning for the worst-case scenario, we will be noticing many employees that their jobs may not be available next year. The total number of employees that will receive notices is a function of our worst-case scenario planning and other changes affecting our budget, such as declining enrollment and the ending of federal stimulus funding."

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 authorized 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 will also receive notices.

The board also authorized 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 will 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.

Board members Marguerite LaMotte and Steve Zimmer voted against the layoff notices. Yolie Flores abstained from the vote.

The board also approved a budget-balancing plan that included, in addition to layoffs, deep cuts in programs -- cuts that board members said they did not want to see. In what has become a familiar refrain, board members lashed out at lawmakers in Sacramento for not fully funding education.

"Last week we were in Sacramento," Flores said. "You would think that people would feel like the house is on fire because of what's happening to children. I didn't see any outrage. I didn't see a sense of urgency. I saw no creative anything about solving this problem where we have lost the way and we no longer prioritize education, public education and children in California."

Deasy said he sympathized with Flores' position.

"You're absolutely right," he said. "The state of California does not support children. Period."

A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles -- the union representing LAUSD teachers, urged the board to make cuts in places other than classrooms.

"UTLA is here to speak in favor of our students," he said. "Our children get one shot at a good education. Every time class sizes are raised or caseloads for health and human service professionals are raised you put a dagger in the heart of public education.

"I ask you now to do two things -- one on this issue of RIFs (reduction-in-force notices), draw a line in the sand and say no more cuts to our classrooms and our school sites, and two, find every means possible to cut as far away from the classroom and the school site as possible, and dig deep into this monster that exists here and wastes money," he said.

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.

"Without assurance of increased tax revenues or collective bargaining agreements, the district must begin to plan for reductions that are within its power to effectuate," district budget analyst Megan Reilly wrote in a report to the board.

According to the district, the projected budget shortfall for the 2011-12 school year is $408 million. The cumulative deficit over the next three years is estimated at $1.15 billion.