More than 1,000 L.A. school employees expected to lose jobs, with bigger cuts ahead

More than 1,000 Los Angeles school workers are expected to lose their jobs after board-approved layoffs and after district management terminated employees without tenure or other union job protections. Some terminations occurred quietly without prior announcement, though officials confirmed them. The board reviewed an updated fiscal stability plan calling for more than $3.6 billion in cuts over three years, including major staff reductions, pay cuts for remaining employees, and school closures. The plan estimates 6,000 or more job losses, approaching 10% of the district workforce. Most impacts are backloaded to begin July 1, 2027, leaving about a year to mitigate outcomes. Officials cited declining enrollment, the end of COVID-relief funding, inflation outpacing state funding increases, and contract settlements.

"More than 1,000 Los Angeles school workers are expected to lose their jobs after the Board of Education on Thursday approved layoffs and, separately, after district management quietly terminated the employment of workers without tenure or other union job protections."

"The Los Angeles Unified board also got its first look at an updated "fiscal stability plan" that calls for cuts totaling more than $3.6 billion over the next three years - which would result in staff cutbacks on a massive scale, pay cuts for remaining employees and the closing of schools. The estimated job reductions in that scenario would be 6,000 or more, approaching 10% of the district's workforce."

"Most of the economic pain is backloaded to take effect starting July 1, 2027 - meaning officials will have a year to try to avoid the worst of these outcomes. At Thursday's meeting, Acting Supt. Andres Chait spoke of the employees to be affected next month when the school year ends."

""All of us recognize that a reduction in force creates significant uncertainty and personal hardships for employees, families and school communities," Chait said. "I want to be very clear that this action is not in any way a reflection of employee performance or dedication, but rather a difficult and necessary response to structural fiscal conditions.""

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