#education

Major Budget Cuts are Incoming!

School District 49 faces a significant budget deficit. The district cites state funding changes and rising expenses. Extensive cuts are planned across various departments and programs. These reductions include administrative, supplemental, and teacher positions. The board will consider adopting the exigency plan soon.

https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/education/we-are-stripping-the-district-down-to-absolute-essentials-school-district-49-grapples-with-budget-crisis

Springfield Public Schools Approves Mid-Year Teacher Layoffs

https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/education/2026/01/23/what-we-know-springfield-teacher-layoffs/88306809007/

Springfield Public Schools approved mid-year teacher layoffs. The school board voted 3-2 on January 12. This decision addresses a $2.34 million budget shortfall. Three board members voted for the reduction in force. Two board members voted against the measure.

Los Angeles school officials warned this week of impending staff reductions — including likely layoffs — as they grapple with steadily falling enrollment and a three-year budget projection that ends with a deficit.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-22/falling-enrollment-budget-uncertainty-lausd-warns-of-layoffs-cuts

Los Angeles school officials warned this week that staff cuts could be coming, including likely layoffs, as the district deals with ongoing declines in student enrollment. At the same time, officials are facing a three-year budget forecast that ends in a deficit, putting additional pressure on district finances and staffing levels.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-22/falling-enrollment-budget-uncertainty-lausd-warns-of-layoffs-cuts

1,090 pending
370 settled
240 denied
20 closed

https://studentaid.gov/data-center/student/loan-forgiveness/borrower-defense-data

https://www.collegehacked.com/about

https://gcdiscipleship.com/pre2019-articles/2017/02/16/an-interview-with-the-pop-song-professor

The Eugene School District 4J plans to close its Center for Applied Learning and Community Impact along with its online elementary school offerings, while scaling back multiple academic and student support programs and reducing funding for nutrition services. In addition, the district is cutting administrative and district-level staff across all departments.

https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/education/2026/01/15/4j-school-board-approves-up-to-127-layoffs-in-cuts-for-next-school-year/

The Douglas County School District is preparing to review a series of high stakes financial decisions at its upcoming special board meeting later today.

Among the key discussion items are proposed school consolidation scenarios, potential layoffs of classified employees, and a possible declaration of a Severe Financial Emergency under Nevada law.

https://www.kolotv.com/2026/01/07/douglas-county-school-district-consider-consolidations-layoffs-financial-emergency-declaration/

Mesquite Independent School District (ISD) has announced significant financial adjustments. These plans involve substantial budget cuts totaling $24 million. A key component of these measures includes staff layoffs. These difficult decisions are being made in preparation for the 2026–27 school year. The district is implementing these changes to address its financial outlook.

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/mesquite-isd-announces-24-million-budget-cuts-including-staff-layoffs-for-2026-27-school-year/

CBU said at the end of the spring semester, the university will work towards a 12:1 student-faculty ratio by reducing around 16 full-time faculty positions.

https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/christian-brothers-university-plans-layoffs-following-restoration-of-accreditation/article_898ed2cf-5bf0-4a92-a855-8c94159f7c17.html

DePaul University has cut 114 staff positions as it deals with ongoing financial pressures. School officials say the layoffs were driven by a drop in international graduate students, increased financial aid needs, and higher benefit expenses.

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/depaul-university-lays-off-114-staff/

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to approve nearly 160 staff layoffs in a hectic meeting Thursday that ended just before midnight.

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/12/12/pajaro-valley-school-board-approves-nearly-160-staff-cuts-in-tense-marathon-meeting/

The Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) is proposing layoffs impacting hundreds of its employees. Proposed cuts target teachers, school employees, librarians, media assistants, and various central office and site-level support roles. These actions are a response to an estimated $100 million budget deficit and a need to reduce expenses. The deficit is attributed to a 20% decline in student enrollment, reduced state and federal funding, and increased operating costs. Teachers and union members are actively protesting these potential layoffs, urging the district to consider alternative cuts.

https://sigtrib.com/no-layoffs-teachers-school-employees-unite-against-lbusd-budget-cuts/

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board will weigh nearly 160 proposed layoffs, including arts teachers, mental health clinicians, counselors and dozens of special education staff — cuts union leaders say would “devastate” students. Teachers union president Brandon Diniz said he was “gutted” by the detailed proposal released Friday and plans to rally with workers ahead of the meeting.

https://lookouexample.com/pajaro-valley-unified-school-board-to-consider-nearly-160-layoffs-at-thursday-meeting/story

Sounds like a leaner version of edX

Im considering getting my CCNP, it looks like tuition assistance doesn’t apply. Does anyone know if the company will pay for it?

On Thursday, the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) governing board voted 5-1 to eliminate 167 positions, reducing staff by 6%.

https://ktar.com/arizona-education/school-district-6-staff-cuts/5787944/

https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/blackstone-valley/pawtucket-school-departments-possible-budget-deficit-puts-100-jobs-at-risk/

The district has already laid off staff, including counselors and teachers, because of budget cuts. Students and community members are pushing back against the reductions.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/school-district-cuts-dozens-of-jobs-before-thanksgiving-due-to-1-4m-budget-deficit/3844661

• Given the size of the deficit and scale of cuts, questions have been raised about financial oversight, budgeting practices, and how the shortfall developed.

• Students and families are worried about the impact on classroom support, counseling, paraprofessional services and overall student experience.

• The district acknowledges the cuts, but also suggests they are doing what they can to continue operations and maintain instructional quality.

What’s going to happen to Optum in the long run?

After all this, I’m seriously considering going into one of the trades. Lots of work available if you’re reliable and show up ready to work

I know this will be downvoted but I figured I’d post it because it may help someone.

Industries less susceptible to layoffs include healthcare, education, government, and essential services like food, utilities, and discount retail, as people need these services regardless of the economic climate. Other sectors like skilled trades and finance also tend to be more stable.

Healthcare
People need medical care during emergencies, chronic illnesses, and for regular check-ups, making it an essential service.
This includes a wide range of roles from doctors and nurses to administrative and support staff.

Education
Educational institutions, from K-12 to universities, are fundamental parts of society and need to be staffed.

Government
Federal government jobs and public safety roles like law enforcement are often more stable, as these services are always needed.

Essential Services
Food and Beverage: Consumers still need to buy food, and companies in this sector tend to perform well during downturns.

Utilities: Electricity, water, and gas are necessary services that people continue to use regardless of economic conditions.

Discount Retail: Consumers often switch to lower-cost stores during an economic slowdown.

Other Stable Industries
Skilled Trades: Essential trades like plumbing and electrical work are often in high demand because they address fundamental needs.

Finance: Roles in accounting, financial advising, and insurance are needed for tax compliance and financial risk management, even in a weak economy.

Educational Testing Service, the company best known for developing the GRE and formerly administering the SAT, plans to lay off 757 employees in California by the end of the year, according to a state filing.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/ets-layoffs-california-21140804.php

Higher Education Inquirer : When Was Higher Education Truly a Public Good? (Glen McGhee) https://share.google/lNeAzv5hdLtA1M5a5

Higher Education Inquirer : When Was Higher Education Truly a Public Good? (Glen McGhee) https://share.google/PIXN0IS46fsIbmcoF

Quite possibly the worst run school division in America. Gutless leaders who have no concept of how to support the sanctity of the learning environment. Their policy is to literally sacrifice the all for one.

Teacher support and retention is negligible. To make matters worse, their compensation is about 10% lower than it’s surrounding school divisions.

Just look at all the openings on their website. Mess beyond belief. STAY AWAY!

The enrollment at Western Illinois University’s Macomb campus has fallen 47% since 2010, to 5,511 from 10,377.

Every year, the United States opens its doors to tens of thousands of H-1B visa holders — highly skilled professionals, mostly from India and China, who fill roles in technology, engineering, and healthcare. Politicians and CEOs justify it as a necessity: “We don’t have enough qualified workers.” But maybe the real question is — why don’t we?

The U.S. government has built a system that rewards importing talent instead of investing in it. For decades, America has underfunded public universities, allowed tuition to skyrocket, and turned higher education into a business. A degree in computer science or engineering can now leave a young American buried under six figures of debt. Meanwhile, companies say they “can’t find talent” and turn abroad — where other nations educate millions of students in STEM for a fraction of the cost.

Countries like India and China don’t just produce skilled graduates — they do it through public investment. Their taxpayers subsidize the training of engineers who later come to work for Google, Microsoft, or Amazon in America. The U.S. benefits from that education for free. It’s a brilliant deal for corporations — and a terrible one for American students.

The H-1B program wasn’t meant to undercut American workers, but that’s often the effect. It’s a convenient tool for corporations to access cheaper, compliant labor without addressing the deeper issue: America’s refusal to make education accessible and affordable. Free tuition or debt-free public universities would build a domestic pipeline of talent that could easily compete with the global workforce. But such reforms don’t attract corporate lobbyists. Visa programs do.

So, the cycle continues. The U.S. imports the best minds from abroad, while millions of bright young Americans are priced out of their own future. The “land of opportunity” keeps outsourcing opportunity itself.

If America truly wants to stay competitive in the 21st century, it must stop renting its brainpower and start growing it.

What a shame. Every year 1000s of companies renegotiate with insurers to cut benefits... Sick... Millions of Americans fight, every day, to avoid medicl bankruptcy. They pay taxes close to those in European countries with universal healthcare, yet get almost nothing in return. Healthcare +education are sooooooooo essential for a strong society. Still we Americans make sure both cost the most in the world (and reach the fewest)...

Nearly a dozen positions that directly support students were among those eliminated in a sweeping round of layoffs at Harvard’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences earlier this month, according to a document obtained by The Crimson.

Roughly 35 staff members — or about 15 percent of SEAS’ total staff — were affected by the cost-cutting measure designed to mitigate the impacts of federal actions, the document showed.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/10/21/seas-layoffs-student-advisors/

Santa Rosa City Schools is turning to pay cuts for its top administrators and other district managers as another way to dig out of its financial crisis — and lay the groundwork for more campus staff layoffs that top officials say are inevitable to stave off the threat of a state takeover.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/10/19/santa-rosa-schools-pay-cuts-layoffs/

A layoff happens when your job role is no longer required by the company or is being restructured.
Being laid off does not mean your performance has been poor, but poor performance makes it less likely for you to find another role internally.

On the flip side:

Being fired due to poor performance is not a layoff…… it’s being fired for poor performance.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

The U.S. Department of Education fired nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in a wave of new layoffs that began Friday, according to the union representing the agency's employees.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2025/10/11/education-department-special-ed-office-layoffs-shutdown/86646104007/

Siena is apparently facing financial problems. They are offering early retirement to employees and the physical plant workers are being replaced by a firm to do that job. They just built a new building that was supposed to be paid by a huge gift. Did that gift ever come in? Would hate to see it got the way of Saint Roae.

• Title: Education Department begins layoffs amid government shutdown
• Source: Investing.com
• Description: The U.S. Education Department starts layoffs as the shutdown continues, details still limited.
• Time: 10/10/25 12:14 PM
• URL:

  https://www.investing.com/news/economy/education-department-begins-layoffs-amid-shutdown-2025-1234567

Carnegie Mellon University announced Wednesday it is laying off 75 software engineering staff members due to changes in federal priorities.

The 75 positions make up about 10% of the Software Engineering Institute’s staff.

SEI is a federally funded research center focusing on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. It has worked with the U.S. Department of Defense since 1984, according to its website.

https://www.wesa.fm/education/2025-10-08/carnegie-mellon-lays-off-75-from-software-engineering-institute

Berklee College Of Music has made some big changes to its staff.

Amid shifting policies and rising costs within education, the school said they laid off 70 employees.

Berklee has confirmed to WBZ NewsRadio that the reduction in staff made up 3% of their employee base. No faculty positions were impacted by the layoffs.

https://wbznewsradio.iheart.com/content/berklee-layoffs-include-70-employees/

My Brother was layed off. He's been with the school for 28 years. Many people who have been there a long time but not quite at retirement age were layed off. He said many students are upset.

https://www.highereducationinquirer.org/2025/09/k-12-virtual-education-broken-pipeline.html

I was laid off 3 times in 2 years working in tech. Rather than get laid off again, I'm going back to school.
www.businessinsider.com

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Henschel, a 35-year-old former tech worker and current master's student based in New York."
Microsoft mass layoffs: Thousands of jobs cut, Xbox division hit hard

https://mashable.com/article/microsoft-mass-layoffs-what-we-know
2025-09-06