Employment Attorney in Santa Ana, CA

The Brief

Dozens of concerned community members gathered Monday night in Santa Ana to oppose major layoffs affecting Santa Ana Unified School District staff. District officials cite the expiration of COVID-era funding and a sharp decline in student enrollment as the primary reasons behind the budget cuts.

Vote finalizes layoffs

What we know:

The Santa Ana Unified School board moved forward with a vote finalizing layoffs for approximately 262 positions, including teachers, counselors, and coaches at campuses throughout the district.

The superintendent explained during Monday night's special board meeting that the district is grappling with a significant financial shortfall now that COVID-related funding has ended. Additionally, a steep drop in enrollment—driven in part by families being priced out of the area—has compounded the issue.

What they're saying:

According to SAUSD, their current deficit of $154 million stems from two primary factors: a 5% drop in enrollment over the past year and a total decline of 28% in the last decade, coupled with the cessation of approximately $400 million in COVID-19 relief funding.

"The end of temporary federal and state relief grants has left us navigating a significant funding shortfall," said Superintendent Jerry Almendarez. "Since the onset of the pandemic, these one-time funds enabled us to achieve an unprecedented counselor-to-student ratio and to expand mental health services. We knew these resources would expire, so for the past three years we have worked hand-in-hand with staff, union leaders, and community members—gathering feedback, testing ideas, and preparing for the realities we face today."

Dig deeper:

The layoffs are part of a broader plan to realign resources while attempting to preserve the quality of education. The district emphasized that it is committed to helping affected staff through reassignment opportunities and job placement support.

Despite the staffing changes, the district confirmed that no extracurricular programs are being cut. Officials said they are working to sustain these offerings by optimizing available funding and resources.

The district is also aiming to minimize the impact on class sizes. While some restructuring may occur, officials say they are working to ensure a balanced and effective learning environment for all students.

‘It’s demoralizing'

What they're saying:

"It's demoralizing. Year after year I dedicate my job to the district...and year after year we face uncertainty." Said Santiago elementary school teacher Jessica Rodriguez.

"These layoffs are more than just numbers. They are our colleagues, friends, and essential school community members," said President of the Santa Ana Educators Association, Sonta Garner-Marcello. "They're loss will directly impact our student's education, safety and future."

The backstory:

Declining enrollment has been an ongoing concern in the district. As housing costs continue to rise in Santa Ana, more families are being forced to leave, resulting in fewer students and decreased funding from the state.

The district currently operates 24 combination classes across all elementary schools—a number that is expected to rise to 40. However, officials clarified that this increase will not affect all schools and combination classes are not expected to become standard practice.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear exactly which schools will be most affected by the changes. The district has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of the impacted campuses.

The Source: Information from the Santa Ana Unified School District.