In June, San Diego Unified officials Petterson disclosed projections of significant deficits in the coming years. Challenges included the expiration of federal Covid funding, a drop in enrollment leading to reduced funding, and a growing state budget deficit. This combination resulted in a looming deficit that officials feared could reach $182 million by the 2025-26 school year.
Petterson
Despite these challenges, some officials expressed confidence in balancing the budget without resorting to layoffs, as seen in previous years. Board member Richard Barrera stated the district’s proficiency in managing staff reductions without layoffs, emphasizing their strategy of leveraging retirements and not immediately filling vacant positions. In budget presentations, district officials outlined plans to address the deficit through spending freezes, reductions in central office staff and programs, and efforts to increase average daily attendance following post-pandemic lows marked by chronic absenteeism.
However, at a June meeting, board Vice President Cody Petterson adopted a more cautious outlook, characterizing the situation as a roadmap that required collective efforts to overcome challenges. Last week, Petterson provided more explicit information at a La Jolla cluster meeting, revealing that layoff notices for teachers would be issued in the coming months.
While San Diego Unified officials did not respond to requests for comment, Petterson, in a phone call, confirmed the likelihood of layoffs, with the actual number to be determined in the board’s March 5 meeting. He stressed the district’s commitment to minimizing layoffs, describing efforts to encourage retiring teachers to provide early notice and offering a $1,000 incentive for early retirement.
Considering the role of seniority in layoff decisions, Petterson highlighted that teachers reaching retirement age would be less likely to face layoffs. This approach aims to protect younger, less experienced teachers from potential job losses.
While the scale of layoffs remains uncertain, Petterson indicated a focus on reducing positions not directly interacting with students, such as central office staff. This strategy aims to ensure that cuts are directed at non-essential roles, preserving essential positions in frontline education.
In conclusion, while the specter of layoffs looms over San Diego Unified, officials are actively working to manage the situation through attrition, early retirements, and targeted reductions to protect frontline educators and minimize the impact on the overall staff.
