That number includes 500 teachers, while the rest of the positions would be non-contractual support workers like bus drivers and cafeteria workers.This comment was left on my Layoff Roundup post today:
Katy ISD - part of the letter dated 4/4/11 sent to all their staff by Alton Fraily:Due to these legal requirements, the district will begin the process of notifying employees regarding their job status later this week. In this initial reduction, we project cutting approximately 500 contracted personnel.This is beginning to really add up. When you add resignations and retirements in addition to layoffs, you get to some big numbers of jobs lost in our community. Not everyone is really thinking through how attrition numbers will pile on top of educator layoffs to compound the problem of fewer teachers in schools, more students packed in classrooms, and loss of wage earners contributing to the local economy.
In the past, when reductions if force happened in schools in order to deal with budget shortfalls, eventually enough people would retire or resign that many of the laid off employees would be hired back. Last year, Fort Bend ISD laid off 470 employees and ended up hiring half of them back. Districts aren't anticipating that scenario this year, since the budget shortfalls are so severe. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Tim Jenney said this in an email to employees:
It is important to know that the district’s goal is to be able to offer the opportunity to return to work in the district as many people as possible who have been affected by the Reduction in Force. However and unfortunately, the budget reduction is likely to be much deeper than ever before, and the probability of being able to reinstate as many “Reduced” employees as last year is unpredictable.Anyone want to predict the total number of education jobs that will be lost in the Houston metro area? Leave your estimate in the comments. I'll do some math and get back with you.
1 comments:
Estimates statewide are as high as 96,000 education jobs. With Houston area being one of the largest, I would estimate we are talking about at least 15,000 jobs. This is painful when you know some involved across the state and locally, as I do. I am grateful my job is not on the chopping block, although as a new position this semester at the district level, could have been. Thankfully, I am involved in a high stakes area, mathematics. But, next go around in another year or so may not escape.
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