DISD Superintendent of Schools Michael Hinojosa and his chief of staff Claudia Rodriguez announced Friday that DISD had notified hundreds of central staff employees that their positions had been eliminated.
The Dallas school district laid off 203 central office employees Friday in a cost-saving move as it prepares for drastic cuts in state funding.
The employees worked in various departments, including security, human resources, purchasing and business services. The district also eliminated 242 positions through vacancies, reassignments and people taking an early resignation offer.
The reductions are expected to save roughly $25 million.
Dallas ISD, like many other Texas districts, is looking for ways to cut spending as state legislators weigh cuts up to $10 billion to public education. Dallas school officials expect to lose anywhere from $88 million to $126 million under the latest projections.
“It’s been a very difficult day for us,” Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said Friday afternoon. “These people didn’t know this was coming. This will impact their ability to put food in front of their families. We’re losing a lot of talent.”
Dismissed employees worked their last day on Friday, but those who agreed to a settlement offer and waived their right to file a grievance will be paid through June 30. Those who did not sign the settlement and waive their right to file a grievance will be paid through May 13.
The district had recently offered employees incentives to resign to reduce costs. But Friday was the first day that employees were dismissed because of the budget woes.
Extra police were on hand at district headquarters Friday, and some hallways at headquarters were roped off to keep onlookers away.
Some employees left the building in tears while they carried out boxes. Others sat in their cars crying while talking on cellphones.
Hinojosa said he expects 500 to 1,000 more positions could be cut before the district’s budget is approved at the end of June.
DISD department heads had been tasked with prioritizing their budgets and cutting 20 percent from them. The cuts made Friday were based on that exercise, Hinojosa said.
In all, the position cuts and layoffs represent about 19 percent of non-campus positions in the district.
One of the departments hardest hit was alternative certification, which lost 16 people and two vacancies, about two-thirds of the department’s positions. The human resources department lost 21 people and five vacancies, about a third of its positions.
School districts throughout the state have begun taking measures to cut costs. Some have had layoffs or cut programs; a few plan to close campuses.
During the last two months, Dallas ISD offered incentives to employees to resign. More than 1,000 employees accepted the incentive, which entailed receiving 15 percent of their annual salary, up to $10,000.
DISD officials and other school officials don’t know how much they will ultimately lose in state funding.
Dallas school trustees have received three scenarios of possible budgets for next school year. The latest one, Version 3.0, calls for the district to eliminate $110 million next school year and lose 1,127 employees. DISD’s total annual budget is about $1.2 billion.
In recent weeks, some trustees voiced frustration that the budget-cut scenarios focused mostly on campus cuts and not so much on central office cuts. Hinojosa had remarked at a meeting this month that such cuts could be coming and all departments would be affected.
Dallas school trustee Bruce Parrott criticized state legislators for the budget situation on Friday.
“I’m mad as hell,” Parrott said. “My opinion is the people in Austin are irresponsible."
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