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LAUSD to Cut 5,000 Jobs, Classroom Sizes to Increase
In a controversial yet budget-saving move, the Los Angeles Unified School District board today approved a plan to cut some 5,000 jobs. Of those to be jettisoned from the payrolls will be 1,400 teachers, increasing average class sizes from 24 to 29, according to the Associated Press. Outside the meeting, protesters rallied with signs that read "Stop Underfunding Our Schools. Enough is Enough." The district has a $1.2 billion projected budget deficit for the next two years. 2,000 teachers were laid off earlier this year. Speaking of layoffs, the latest UCLA Anderson forecast indicates economic growth, but does not foresee job growth.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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