SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Preparing for a “worst case” state budget, Spokane Public Schools administrators have issued 238 layoff notices.
The list includes 72 elementary school teachers, 42 high school and middle school teachers, 28 special-education teachers and 55 counselors.
The Spokesman-Review says the district faces a budget shortfall of between $9 million and $12 million. By union contract, the deadline for notifying certified employees of their employment status is May 15, so the district had to move forward with layoff notices even though the Washington Legislature is still working on a final budget.
School officials say a reduction of 150 positions would likely close the $12 million budget gap. But the district decided to issue more notices than needed to give the board flexibility in deciding which positions to cut.
