PSUSD Board Members Vote To Layoff 62 Teachers

PALM SPRINGS- The Palm Springs Unified School District Board members Tuesday night voted in favor oflaying off62 teacher. Thereductionmeans larger classrooms and less one on one attention for students. The Board voted unanimously in an effort to close an $8 milliondeficit. Board member, Justin Blake, says “The fat is gone, we’re cutting bone and it is going to hurt.”

A majority of the layoffs, 34 of them, will affect teachersK-5th grade.Other layoffs include 3 vice principals,psychologist and high school teachers. In all 66.5 positions will be cut…it’s a 3% reduction in certificated workforce. The District expects to save 1.2 million dollars. Thedistrict decided to dip into its reserves and use $3 million of the $15 millionto balance the budget. It is a move the teachers union supports. BeverlyPricker with the Palm Springs Teachers Association says,”We deeply appreciate it caused the cuts could have gone deeper into the workforce.”

California is going to take away $201 per student from the District this year, in all $4.5 million. The District will notify the teachers by March 15th. The official layoffs will happen on or after May 15th. Cut will be based on seniority.