Santa Ana Unified’s board will vote later this week on whether to lay off 286 employees, a move board members say is an effort to address a more than $180 million deficit the district is facing.
The board was scheduled to vote on the layoff package Tuesday night, Jan. 28, but after nearly three hours of public comment — dozens of teachers, counselors, students, parents and other concerned people spoke out against the layoffs — the trustees decided to meet again on Friday, Jan. 31. A vote on the layoff resolution is expected then.
SAEA teachers speak to the Santa Ana Unified School District board during a meeting where they will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Ana Educators Association president, Sonta Garner-Marcelo greet teachers after they have spoken to the Santa Ana Unified School District board who will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Teacher Julie Tarango (left) thinks each speaker should get three minutes at the podium and the board said only one would be given during the meeting of the Santa Ana Unified School District board. They were to vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Teachers in the overflow room get loud and hold signs in support of their union at the meeting of the Santa Ana Unified School District board where they will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
The Santa Ana Unified School District board will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Teachers in the overflow room show the support of their union at the meeting of the Santa Ana Unified School District board where they will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Hector Bustos, President of the Santa Ana Unified School District board during a meeting where the board will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Teachers in the overflow room get loud in support of their union at the meeting of the Santa Ana Unified School District board where they will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Elementary school teacher, Yesenia Gardea leaves the boardroom of the Santa Ana Unified School District board. The board will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Teachers make their way to the board room to make a statement to the Santa Ana Unified School District board who will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption1 of 10SAEA teachers speak to the Santa Ana Unified School District board during a meeting where they will vote to decide whether or not they will lay off 186 teachers and other staff across the district on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2025 . ..The discussion of possible lay offs has been talked about for months due to the spending deficit the district is facing…(Photo by Michael Goulding, Contributing Photographer)
ExpandThe layoff resolution lists 546 positions, but district spokesperson Fermin Leal said that is the number of jobs, not the number of employees, that would be impacted. Leal said no more than 286 people would lose their jobs if the board approves the resolution.
During Santa Ana Unified’s Dec. 19 board meeting, district officials said 350 people would lose their jobs. But Leal said that was a number the district had before taking into account resignations and retirements, which led to the updated number of 546 positions and 286 people.
If the resolution is approved Friday evening, teachers, counselors, instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, itinerant teachers, special assignment teachers, social workers, home hospital workers and social workers could be laid off.
Santa Ana Educators Association President Sonta Garner-Marcelo said the changing number of positions that the district would cut has led to more anxiety and concern among teachers.
“They’re wondering if they should be looking for another job,” Garner-Marcelo said. “They don’t want to leave our school district because most of our educators are former students of Santa Ana Unified, and they want to give back.”
When the board met in December, trustees blamed declining enrollment, rising costs and depleting pandemic relief funds for the massive budget deficit.
“Staffing adjustments are part of a long-term strategy to align our resources with student enrollment trends and financial realities,” Superintendent Jerry Almendarez said in a statement on the district’s website. “These decisions are made carefully to ensure long-term stability while continuing to provide high-quality education.”
Staff cuts, multiple teachers said during Tuesday’s meeting, will impact not only the employees being let go but also the 437,275 students in the district.
“The cuts are not necessary,” Garner-Marcelo said. “Yes, we understand that there’s overstaffing and declining enrollment, but at this time, it’s okay if we have smaller class sizes and support our students’ needs because that’s something parents want first.”
Santa Ana Unified’s school board will meet again on Friday at 1601 East Chestnut Ave., in Santa Ana. It is open to the public and available to be streamed online on the district’s website, sausd.us.
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