Before an overflow crowd that alternated between tear-filled emotional appeals and cheering band supporters, the Board of Education for the Los Alamitos Unified School District approved the layoff of 90 Certificated personnel and 1 bus driver. The Certificated positions will be eliminated effective at the end of the current school year and the bus driver position will be terminated in two months.

The layoffs, approved at the March 10, 2009 Board of Education meeting, include 45 k-5 classroom teachers, 10 grades 6-12 English teachers, 5 high school Spanish teachers, 8 math teachers for grades 6-12, 3 teachers on special assignment, 4 social science teachers, and 3 science teachers. Also to be laid off are the Laurel High Principal, 2 middle school counselors, and a school readiness nurse.

The layoffs are in response to reductions in the District's revenues resulting from the new State of California budget. The District estimates their annual funding will be reduced by $5.6 million. The District is making these layoffs now because it must submit a budget plan to the County Office of Education and the affected employees must be notified in advance of the next school year. Students will not experience the increased class sizes and other reduction in educational services until next school year.

The District is not throwing in the towel either and there still is hope that some of the layoffs can be eliminated. These layoffs and the other budget reductions approved by the Board of Education represent the items which the District can unilaterally control. The District is entering into negotiations with labor unions which might result in cost savings which could offset some of the required layoffs. If the step and column raises that teachers get automatically can be lowered, or employees can cover more of their benefit costs, some positions could be saved.

The union negotiations are just getting started so the outcome will not be known for a while. While the negotiations are in progress and the District attempts to locate other funding, the current layoffs can be considered as an option. If some of the positions can be saved, the District can add them back at a later date.