School Districts Brace for Teacher and Staff Layoffs as Stimulus Funding Expires

As school districts prepare for the end of a significant federal stimulus package aimed at mitigating the effects of COVID-19 on education, there are increasing concerns over potential layoffs of teachers and staff. Many districts have announced cuts due to the end of the funding, which must be spent by the end of September. This has added to existing challenges such as falling enrolment numbers and rising costs. In Montana, for instance, the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) is contemplating cutting 33 teaching positions and 13 administrative roles, including the special education director and fine arts director. The district’s superintendent, Micah Hill, stated that the cuts are comparable to those seen almost a decade ago during a recession. Notably, enrolment in MCPS has dropped by approximately 500 students since 2019, while administrative expenses and insurance premiums have surged. Similar situations are playing out in Arlington, Texas, where 275 positions will be eliminated, including those tasked with providing after-school care, tutoring, and mental health assistance. Some of the affected staff members are being offered alternative employment opportunities within the district. Meanwhile, in Hartford, Connecticut, around 384 positions are set to be axed, with 30 teachers and 79 other staff members receiving notice of job losses. However, some of these positions had already become vacant or will go unfilled following retirements or departures. These cuts come despite a wave of hiring that occurred during the pandemic, with the Center for American Progress (CAP) reporting that nearly 12,000 teaching positions were created in Washington State alone. However, the Centre for Education Data and Research (CALDER) suggests that if staffing levels return to pre-pandemic levels, as many as 384,000 full-time teaching roles might be at risk. While staffing levels have risen in certain places, overall enrolment has declined significantly. According to a CALDER analysis, around 1.6 million fewer students were enrolled in US public schools during the 2020-21 academic year compared to the previous term. This is particularly concerning as low-income districts and students of colour are expected to bear the brunt of layoffs, according to Heather Peske, the President of the National Council on Teacher Quality. She also cautioned against laying off teachers based solely on seniority, suggesting that districts should prioritise the most effective instructors instead.