Nearly 100 Oakland Unified School District teachers and staff are targeted for layoffs as part of the district's plan to balance its budget.
The Oakland Unified School District Board of Education voted 6-1 Wednesday to eliminate 97 full-time jobs -- including teachers and central office staff -- as part of its plan to close an estimated $95 million budget deficit.
"The district is currently deficit spending every month, that is, spending more money than it is bringing in," according to a statement sent to parents Thursday. "If the district did nothing to mitigate this pattern, resulting in a $95 million unrestricted fund deficit by the end of 2025-26, it would run out of money at some point next school year."
According to a report presented to the board, the school district must notify employees by March 15 if they are targeted for layoffs at the end of the current school year. Employees can also request a hearing on their layoff.
"It is necessary to reduce and/or eliminate certain classified positions due to lack of funds and/or lack of work due, at least in part, to declining enrollment, uncertain one-time funding, and increasing costs," according to the report.
The district's teachers' union, the Oakland Education Association, is opposed to the layoffs but said it will work with the board to make sure schools are staffed up.
"At a time when our students need stability, educators demand Oakland Unified reverse these budget cuts passed at last night's school board meeting," said OEA president Kampala Taiz-Rancifer. "Oakland educators will continue to support our School Board to ensure adjustments are made so that every student attends fully staffed and resourced neighborhood schools next year."
The layoffs are part of OUSD's effort to tackle its ongoing budget deficit, which included school closures and mergers in recent years.
In January, Alameda County Superintendent of Schools Alysse Castro said the district could run out of money by November if it doesn't take action to close this year's $95 million shortfall and next year's estimated $99.6 budget deficit.
If that were to happen, OUSD could remain under the supervision of a state trustee and lose its ability to make decisions locally.
Currently the district is under the supervision of a county-appointed financial advisor and a state trustee, who was appointed after the district went into receivership and was required to take out a $100 million state loan in 2003.