Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education will vote Tuesday on a proposal to issue layoff notices to more than 3,200 employees as the district grapples with a significant budget deficit.
The proposed reduction in force is part of a broader $1.4 billion “fiscal stabilization plan” aimed at addressing what officials describe as a structural deficit in the nation’s second-largest school system. The district has been spending more annually than it receives in funding, according to documents filed with the board.
“These are dangerously high deficit levels for a public education institution, and more importantly, signal a significant structural imbalance, not a temporary dip,” the staff report states.
While the 3,200 figure represents the total number of employees who would receive notices, district officials expect the actual number of job losses to be much smaller. The larger number reflects required notice provisions under state law and union seniority rules, which create a potential “bumping” chain when positions are eliminated.
A more accurate picture of potential job losses may be found in the 657 “central office and centrally-funded position closures” listed in the board report. These include 220 IT support technicians, 33 parent education support assistants, 23 gardeners, and various other positions. The district notes that ultimately, fewer than 1% of its more than 83,000 employees are likely to lose their jobs entirely.
The proposed cuts would save approximately $250 million, according to meeting materials, but officials warn that “further reductions will be necessary based on the multi-year projections.”
LAUSD must vote on the reduction in force before March 15, the deadline for California school districts to notify staff they may be laid off. Final decisions must be made by the end of June.
The district’s financial troubles stem largely from declining enrollment combined with increasing costs. There are more than 40% fewer students compared to the early 2000s, yet the district has not significantly reduced staff or closed schools. Additionally, federal pandemic relief funding that supported extra positions has now expired.
In December, LAUSD projected deficits of $877 million (14%) for the 2026-2027 school year and $443 million (7%) for the following year.
Union leaders have criticized the timing of the decision. In a February 6 letter to the board, a coalition of three unions—United Teachers Los Angeles, SEIU Local 99, and Associated Administrators of Los Angeles—questioned the need for cuts and requested delaying the vote until more information about state funding becomes available.
“State revenues for December and January have far exceeded projections in the Governor’s draft budget,” the unions stated, calling the district’s approach “fearmongering.”
The vote comes amid ongoing contract negotiations with most district unions. UTLA members recently authorized their leadership to call a strike if necessary, seeking an immediate 16% raise for new teachers and other significant pay increases. The district has offered substantially lower increases: 2.5% for the first year of a three-year contract and 2% the next, plus a 1% one-time bonus.
The board will meet Tuesday at 10 a.m., with public comment registration opening Monday morning.
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