Hundreds face layoffs at San Diego Unified School District, other districts

Educators across San Diego County are bracing for another round of possible layoffs.

Monday was the deadline for school districts to finalize their preliminary layoff notices.

At the San Diego Unified School District, more than 200 positions are on the chopping block. That includes cafeteria workers, bus drivers, special education and teacher aides.

With about 40% of those positions already vacant, Union Chapter President Dawn Basques said students will feel the impact.

“They have the person who sees them at the gate, the person who feeds them, the person who drives them to school. And now they’re just going to be gone. It hurts them,” Basques said.

At a board meeting earlier this month, SDUSD Superintendent Fabiola Bagula worked to address concerns from parents.

She said March is often one of the most difficult times in the school year for a district and said she hopes to reassign half of the educators in the positions being cut. That would leave roughly 70 employees facing layoffs.

Widespread cuts are also reportedly on the table for districts in San Diego’s North County and South Bay. Districts have until May 15 to finalize all layoff decisions.