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LAUSD Mulls Roughly 5,000 Layoffs

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education may authorize layoffs for 5,000 employees, including more than 4,000 teachers.

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Layoff notices wouldn't necessarily mean the employees will lose their jobs this year, but the district is legally required to notify workers if their positions are in jeopardy.

"We must plan for the worst because it just might happen," Deputy Superintendent John Deasy wrote in a memo to the board and Superintendent Ramon Cortines. "In planning for the worst-case scenario, we will be noticing many employees that their jobs may not be available next year. The total number of employees that will receive notices is a function of our worst-case scenario planning and other changes affecting our budget, such as declining enrollment and the ending of federal stimulus funding."

According to the district, most of the affected employees would receive notices no later than March 15. A separate notice would have to be sent by June 30 to notify employees if they would actually lose their jobs.

The board will consider authorizing warning letters to 3,109 permanent elementary teachers and 975 secondary/single-subject teachers, along with 456 permanent support-services personnel, including counselors, social workers and nurses. Three district staff attorneys would also receive notices.

"Cuts this deep will severely limit our ability to meet students' most basic needs," according to A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union representing LAUSD teachers. "Our students are cheated every time LAUSD increases class sizes, every time LAUSD takes music or art classes away, every time a librarian or nurse is eliminated or a counselor's caseload is raised."

The district is looking to close a $408 million budget deficit.

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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