HOUSTON – Hundreds of Houston ISD teachers will soon be out of a job. On Friday, the district confirmed that layoffs have begun.
The teacher’s union estimates that roughly 250 jobs will be cut ranging from teacher positions to support staff. The layoffs were approved by the board back in March amid the district’s $115 million budget crisis.
The HFT said it has known this was coming for months. They were able to help lower the original estimate of layoffs from 700.
“It has been one hell of a year in the school district,” said Zeph Capo, Houston Federation of Teachers’ president. “It’s really been a perfect storm.”
Between Hurricane Harvey, the budget shortfall, a vacant superintendent seat, 10 schools at risk of closing due to underperformance and now layoffs; it’s been one thing after another for HISD.
The layoffs have employees like Cynthia Garrett, a student information representative at Westbury High School, holding their breath.
“What is going to happen to us?” asked Garrett. “I’ve been there about 10 years and I love it. It’s hard to go to work not knowing.”
Those concerns are echoed by Norris Thomas, a teacher’s aide at Harper Alternative, a discipline alternative education program.
“We’ve just been trying to prepare and doing the best that we can for whenever it comes," Thomas said.
Capo fears the impact will trickle down to students.
“It means increased class sizes. It means developing new relationships and trying to figure out new things. It means less attention for students,” said Capo.
A number of resume workshops will be held in addition to job fairs for those being laid off.
HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan sent an email to HISD employees on Friday calling the lay-offfs, a "reduction in force" in light of the $115 million budget deficit for the 2018-2019 school year.
Capo says there could be a silver lining for teachers.
“The likelihood that they can find another position is very high considering we generally have to hire between 1,500 and 2,000 teachers a year.”
However, for employees including support staff, there’s very little comfort in the unknown.
“What’s going to happen at the end of May? Am I going to come back?” Garrett wondered aloud.
“No one should have to come to work every day concerned about whether they are going to have a job at the end of the day," Thomas added. "That’s too much stress to be worried about."
Capo encourages that laid off employees contact the Houston federation of teachers.
HISD provided the following statement regarding its reduction in force:
"The Houston Independent School District faces a $115 million budget shortfall for the 2018-19 school year. The Board of Education authorized a Reduction in Force (RIF) during its regular March meeting, excluding teachers in critical shortage areas. District staff being proposed for RIF began receiving notifications over the past several weeks. Many of these employees will find other positions within the district based on anticipated attrition. Not all impacted positions have been identified at this point. Our Human Resources Department will host several career support workshops available to all affected employees starting May 1. During these workshops, topics including benefits and leave balances, career marketing, resume writing, and interview tips will be addressed. We are committed to working with our employees as they transition into new roles."