One of the Nation's largest school districts has approved a massive lay-off that let go over 1,000 employees. Dallas Independent School District handed pink slips yesterday to over 400 contract employees, while others opted for a buyout last week.
One of the most problematic school districts in the state of Texas has taken a dramatic turn to help sustain its financial status, as a recent report in a
Dallas paper reveals. Dallas ISD has decided that by cutting over 1,000 district positions, including some 500 plus teaching jobs many of which are in core subject areas, they will save the district around $30 million US.
DISD has already laid off about 60 central office workers and cut about 100 vacant positions in an attempt to reduce a recently-disclosed $84 million budget deficit. The district plans on saving an estimated $30 million by laying off about 1,100 workers, including about 550 teachers, and will cut another $38 million in nonpersonnel expenses.
Seeing as education is one of those areas where job security is a bit more stable than other industries, this massive lay-off comes as a shock to both parents and staff, who were already troubled by the way DISD handles things.
In a
recent blog post here on Digital Journal by Katie bringing to light some of the district's "dumbing down" methods of teaching and policies that only add to the grade books those scores than enhance a student's grade, it may be safe to say that people aren't happy with the way Superintendent Michael Hinojosa has driven this giant bus.
The pink slips were said to begin delivery on October 14 but
according to another report, Hinojosa delayed the process by one day in order to "make certain that we give ourselves time to resolve the issues that they have raised. We are committed to paying close attention to our standards of service at each campus."
Back in March of this year,
another report revealed that Dallas ISD teachers suffered from assaults by students at a rate that has doubled over the past few years and again, it was traced to DISD policy but this time on how to deal with fighting, a major problem on Dallas campus' locations. Even the largest district in Texas, Houston ISD, showed a significant decline in assaults by implementing programs that DISD did not have.
Other problems, including a personal lawsuit also haunts the illustrious leader who is accused of
retaliation.
Now the latest turn is that they are
cutting off the hands that feed them?
This massive lay-off will not only create a number of empty positions in the district, it will also create over-stressed teachers and staff members as those who managed to slide by and keep their jobs will now be forced to pick up the slack. The biggest issue surrounding this cut, however, is that
Dallas ISD has an $84 million US deficit this fiscal year and jobs is where they can make up ground.
They are still reporting a $15 million deficit after the cuts.
According to Aimee Bolender, the president of the Alliance AFT Teachers Association, those who were the likeliest to get cut were teacher's with the least time in service and those with poor evaluations.
Dallas ISD is the twelfth largest school district in the nation, operating approximately 160,000 children, all of which will likely suffer due to this major decision following the board's 5-2 vote* in favour of the lay-off, and one absention. The lay-off of non-contract employees does not require board approval.
*Note to readers - school superintendents in the state of Texas are
NOT part of the voting process during school board votes.
